DxD: Dragon of the End
by ShadeAkami
Summary: Shin Kurokawa, a mysterious new face in Kuoh. Tossed in the supernatural world from childhood, the boy simply wanted a quiet life, however he'll have to join the fray once again due to his past. Shin can kiss his quiet life goodbye, as his history is slowly revealed, along with something else sealed deep within him...Or is it...? (OCxHarem; IsseixHarem) (OP OC) Rated M for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Who's the new guy?

 **Darkness.**

 **Everywhere, just black. Nothing to be seen, and nothing to be heard.**

 **Inside that darkness, an outline formed. The outline of a person standing in the middle of the darkness. They didn't move, they didn't speak, they seemingly didn't even breathe. They just stood there.**

 **And then, the person began hearing voices in the distance, echoing inside the dark.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

" ** _Hey sis, will things ever get better?"_ a young boy's concerned voice echoed around the person.**

" _ **Of course they will little man"**_ **a woman's voice echoed right after, speaking calmly.** ** _"As long as you have faith, things will eventually get better~"_**

" _ **Really?"**_ **the boy asked, receiving a decisive answer from his sister.**

" _ **Really."**_

 **Immediately after, distant screams began filling the void. A sensation of heat followed right after, as the person became enveloped in flames. They still didn't move, however.**

" _ **Sis...sis, get up.."**_ **the same voice from before sobbed, his voice failing.**

" _ **I'm..s-sorry little man...Big Sis c-can't get..out of t-this one..."**_ **his sister's weak voice echoed, followed by more sobbing.** ** _"Don't cry…Run...You need to get o-out of here...before the f-fire get's you too..."_ her voice got weaker and weaker, before it faded altogether.**

" _ **S-Sis…? Sis!"**_ **the boy cried, as the flames around the person intensified.**

" **Fate is a cruel mistress" a masculine voice echoed, as the flames surrounding the person were suddenly extinguished.**

" _ **Kid. State you wish. Your dream"**_ **a strong male voice asked, echoing several times in the darkness around the person.**

" _ **I want power..."**_ **the boy mumbled** ** _"I want enough power to crush anyone who stands in my way!"_**

" _ **Even it that someone is God?"**_ **the male voice asked again, in a rather amused tone.**

" _ **I don't care who it is! I want the power to crush them all!"**_ **the boy exclaimed, rage and determination clear in his voice.**

 **And then, laughter filled the void, echoing in the persons head.**

" _ **Hahaha!"**_ **the male continued to laugh for a bit, before he stopped.** ** _"You're but a child. Taking on God, is an unattainable dream for mortals like you"_ although the person couldn't see or hear it, he could feel the boy gritting his teeth in frustration, anger building up inside. _"However, who said it was impossible?"_**

" _ **What do you mean?" the boy asked.**_

" _ **Your vision, grants for a very entertaining future. Quite frankly, such a future is needed in this boring world"**_ **the male said** ** _"I will make your dream a reality, and grant you the power you need to battle God. However, as you are now, you are nothing but human. The only way for your dream to become a reality is to abandon your humanity. Though that shouldn't affect you much, considering what you were..."_**

" _ **I could care less about my humanity!" the young one exclaimed.**_

" _ **Hm! Then so be it!"**_ **the male answered, before an intense pain began coursing through the persons body, followed by the little boy's pained cries.** ****

" _ **You could say I've shared some of my own characteristics with you. A neat little trick I discovered some time ago. From now on, your path will be filled with battle, and I cannot vouch for any losses you suffer through it. But know that in the end, you will achieve your dream, as long as you have enough patience."**_

 **After the male's voice faded, screams began being heard in the distance, followed by explosions. The person then began seeing the unfolding event.**

 **People running away in terror, as flames raged behind them, consuming everything in their path and lighting up the night sky. Hearing loud roaring in the sky, the person tilted their head upward.**

 **Flying above the flames, was a large western dragon, with black scales and four wings, as well as a long tail with something like a stinger at the tip.**

 **The dragon roared, before it reared it's head back.**

 **However, that's where the tape ended, and the void of black returned, enveloping the person once again.**

" **Peace doesn't last forever" the same masculine voice from before resounded, before the sound of battle was heard around the person.**

 **Swords clashing against one another, various explosions in the background, cries of soldiers charging into battle, and roars of beasts clashing.**

" **The problem with war, is that it always drags the innocent into the conflict" the voice said, as the person became surrounded by flames once again. "This world needs to change. However, drastic measures are needed, for such a thing to happen."**

 **Then, an ear deafening roar resounded through the void, followed by the sound of what can only be described as destruction. Hundreds of thousands of voices, seemingly erased out of existence in the blink of an eye.**

 **Through those voices, were the roars of multiple other dragons, before they were silenced as well.**

 **The sound of battle resumed, however it seemed to be between two beings now. A dragon, and someone else. And soon enough, the sound of flesh being ripped off echoed in the persons head, as the taste of blood flooded their mouth.**

" _ **Father!"**_ **the voice of a young man exclaimed worriedly, followed by a few others.**

" _ **Focus on the other two! They still have some fight in them!"**_ **a strong voice answered firmly** ** _"I will deal with this! If I have to sacrifice an arm, then so be it!_**

 **And so, the battle resumed once again, until the roars of the dragon were gradually silenced, as his opponent came out victorious.**

" _ **Such destruction cannot be allowed into the world..."**_ **the strong voice said, exhausted.** ** _"Still, for such a thing to happen...I'm sorry child but you will be sealed away now. I cannot allow your rampage to continue, especially not with it on our doorstep."_**

 **And then, the flames surrounding the person vanished, leaving them in complete darkness, once again.**

" **Through the course of history, people have lead other people. And for just as long, people have used others to their own advantage, disregarding those innocent lives. But no more. I will eradicate them all. And I will destroy the rotten system of this world.**

 **Then…**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **..I will rebuild it all in my image!"**

"...Nyyeeh.." a young man groaned, as rays of sunlight seeped through the blinds, landing right on his face. Raising his body, he blinked his eyes open, looking to his right, where his clock was placed.

"6:50 AM…?" he mumbled, before falling silent for a moment, a blank expression on his face. "Fuck I'm late." and with that, he swiftly got out of bed, before heading out of his bedroom, and into the bathroom at the end of the hall.

A while later, the boy came out of the bath, a towel draped around his shoulders, his messy midnight black hair still dripping a little bit of water. His solution, was to shake his head vigorously, like a dog.

After he finished getting his hair in order, he made his way back into his room.

Going over to his night stand, he pulled out a little package, which he place on the bed. Opening it, he took out a gray uniform, along with a white button up shirt. Looking at the uniform, the boy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's certainly different than the uniforms I wore in the past, but this one is certainly better...Pretty sure I'm allergic to those skin tight suits now..." he cringed, beginning to suit himself up.

Adjusting his collar, he rolled up his sleeves, before picking up his brown leather bag, flinging it on his back, and heading downstairs. Passing by the kitchen, he quickly stopped, and back tracked.

"Cliche, but who cares" he said, before stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth, and heading toward the door.

Quickly putting his shoes on, he stepped outside, locked the door, and began down the street, and little note in his hand. He quickly checked the watch on his wrist as well.

"7:20 AM...I think If I hurry I can make it in time" the boy mumbled, munching on his toast, and stuffing the note in his breast pocket. "I need to stop forgetting to set the alarm from now on. It may be my first day, but I hear Kuoh Academy is pretty strict, so it's better to be safe than sorry" he mumbled, finishing the last bit of toast. "Fashionably late, I think it's called."

And so, the young man continued on his way, walking fast enough to arrive in time at his new school. However, after walking for a while, he stumbled across a rather strange sight.

"Moouu...Why do I keep getting lost?" a young girl mumbled, looking around confused. Rather, a young woman seemingly trapped in a child's body.

She was a rather attractive young woman around her late teens, with black hair tied into ponytails and violet eyes. However, what really caught the boys attention, was her attire, which consisted of a pink magical girl's outfit. She even had a magic wand.

' _That's not the only thing she has...'_ the boy mumbled in his mind, noticing the rather evident bumps on her chest, which bounced everytime she snapped her head to look around.

"Muu..At this rate I'm not going to be able to see my dear So-tan!" the girl exclaimed, tiny tears welling up in her eyes. Sweatdropping, the boy walked over.

"Are you alright there miss?" he asked, making the woman turn to him, her eyes still a little teary.

"I'm trying to find my So-tan but I keep getting lost" she sniffled a bit, her eyes turning into the puppy dog eyes, causing the boy to sweatdrop further.

"Okay...Where is your...'So-tan' supposed to be?" he asked, trying to help the woman.

"Kuoh Academy!" the woman answered immediately, nearing the boy's face, causing him to lean back, without actually moving from his spot.

"Kuoh?" receiving a strong nod in return, the boy stepped back, and nodded his head once. "I'm was actually just on my way to Kuoh Academy" he said, making the woman's face light up. "I can take you there if y-urk?!" he didn't even get to finish his sentence, before the woman suddenly clung to him like glue, looking up at the boy with a beaming smile.

"Yes please~ This is very important for me!" she answered seriously, making the teen sweatdrop again.

"Alright then..." he giggled awkwardly, as he gently pried the woman off of him, and placed her back on her feet. He then turned and pointed down the street. "Kuoh Academy is that way" he said, glancing back at the woman, only to find himself getting dragged along by her, surprised at the amount of strength she had.

"Then let's get a move on! I need my So-tan cuddles~" the woman exclaimed, pointing her wand forward.

And so, after managing to escape the woman's hold and get back on his own two feet, the two began making their way to Kuoh Academy, with the boy leading the way, as the woman walked next to him, a cheerful smile on her face.

After a few minutes of walking, the two arrived at the front gates of Kuoh, the academy itself standing tall in front of the pair.

"Well, here we are" the boy said, looking at the woman next to him. Said woman looked back with a smile, before throwing her arms around the boy, enveloping him in a bone crushing hug.

"Yes, thank you! Now I can finally go see my So-tan before those old geezers drag me back!" she exclaimed happily, before letting the boy go. As the boy got his bearings back together, the girl reached behind her, and produced a little flyer, which she extended toward the boy.

"What's this?" the boy asked, looking at the intricate blue symbol on the flyer with curiosity.

"It doesn't really matter what it is~" the woman smiled "Just have it on you wherever you go. And if you ever find yourself in trouble, think of me and Magical Girl Sera-tan will pop right up to save you!" she exclaimed, doing a little pose, making her boobs jiggle. A little blush creeped onto the boys face, as well as all the other boys that were passing by, while the girls looked on confused.

"Okay then..." the boy mumbled, putting the flyer in his back pocket, as the woman adjusted her hat, before turning and waving at him.

"Alrighty then~ Now please excuse me while I go search for my So-tan~" she said, before taking off toward the school, with astounding speed, leaving the boy to look on blankly.

"...Well that just happened" he mumbled, as the woman disappeared from view completely. Shaking his head slightly, he followed her example, although much more slowly, and began stepped through the gates.

Walking on campus, the boy couldn't help but notice the students that had started whispering to themselves, as they watched him make his way toward the school building.

"Who's that guy?" one girl asked, her friends, who shrugged.

"I don't know...Maybe it's that new transfer student I've heard rumors about!" one of her friends exclaimed happily.

"I sure hope he is...I have a thing for foreigners~" another one mumbled, a blush adorning her face.

"You really can't hold back when it comes to foreign students do you…?" the first girl asked, sweatdropping at her friend, whose blush became even more noticeable.

"I think I'll need some replacements soon~" she mumbled, making her friends take a step away from her, creeped out looks on their faces.

Shaking his head, the boy decided to ignore the carnal desires he was apparently creating, and tried to focus on getting in the academy. However, as he tuned out the girls, some of the boys were heard.

"Grr...Dammit he's already stealing the hot chicks!" some guys exclaimed, gritting his teeth.

"What kind of crap is this?! He's not even been here for five minutes!" one of his friends joined in, followed by a third.

"Yeah! There's already only a handful of chicks that are willing to go out with people like us! Don't steal them too!" he shouted, as tears streamed down his face.

' _What have I gotten myself into…?'_ the boy grumbled in his mind, releasing a sigh as his expression turned more blank with every comment he heard.

After what seemed like an eternity, which was only 30 seconds, the boy finally managed to enter the academy, temporarily escaping the whispering students. Looking around, he quickly located the school plan, making his way over.

"Let's see..." he mumbled, studying the plan. However, as he did that, he failed to notice a person approaching him.

"Can I help you?" a feminine voice suddenly spoke up.

"Nyeah!" the boy squeaked in surprise, spinning around to look behind him.

Standing behind him, was a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure, her long black hair tied by an orange ribbon into a single ponytail that reached all the way down to her legs, two strands sticking out from the top which sloped backward. She was wearing the girls' uniform at Kuoh Academy, consisting of a white long-sleeved, button down shirt with a black ribbon on her shirt collar worn under a black shoulder cape and a matching button-down corset, a magenta skirt with white accents, and brown dress shoes, along with black calf-length socks. Her relaxed violet eyes were currently peering into the boys fluorescent blue ones, a friendly smile on her face.

"Uh...hello" the boy greeted awkwardly, having being taken by surprise. The girl giggled a bit, before bowing her head.

"Good day to you~" she greeted, looking back at the teen, her smile never leaving her face. "You seem a little lost" she remarked, as the boy scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"Well, this **is** my first time here...Would be a little weird if I already knew my way around~" he chuckled, a little sweatdrop on his face.

"Well, you're certainly right about that, ufufu~" the girl giggled sweetly "You must be the new transfer student, right?" the boy nodded, making the girls smile widen a bit. "Then you need to check in with the Student Council. I can take you there if you want?" she offered, the boy needing but a second to agree.

"That would be very nice of you" he bowed his head a little, hearing another 'ufufu' from the girl. She then turned toward the stairs, glancing back at the boy.

"The Student Council is on the second floor. We should get going, since the president is a little strict when it comes to upholding rules and such~"

"Wouldn't want to make a bad impression, right?" the boy guessed, as the pair began going up the stairs. The girl turned to him, her smile ever present.

"You're certainly right about that~" she replied, nodding her head slightly.

The two walked in silence for a while, neither teen saying anything. It didn't take long before they ended up walking through a lone hallway, a solid wooden door at the end. Reaching said door, the girl knocked a few times, and waited.

" _Come in"_ a voice called from the other side, prompting the girl to open the door, before her and the boy stepped inside.

Looking around the spacious room, the boy noticed a few other students, currently keeping themselves busy by taking care of some papers. And in the back of the room, was a solid oak desk, two girls wearing the Kuoh girls' uniform standing behind it.

One of them was a beautiful young woman with a buxom figure, and flowing crimson hair, reaching down to her thighs. On top of her head, a single strand of hair stood up, forming an ahoge. Her hair was also quite a strong contrast to her eyes, which were mixed between a green and blue color.

The second one was a young bespectacled woman, with violet eyes, and black hair styled into a short bob cut. And she seemed to be discussing something with her red haired friend, before noticing the new faces in the room.

"Akeno? Did something happen?" the young redhead asked. The newly named Akeno, gestured toward the boy next to her.

"I happened upon our new transfer student in the hall. He didn't know where the Student Council was, so I offered to help~" she said, making everyone perk up at the mention of 'transfer student'.

"Then you must be Kurokawa-san" the bespectacled woman said, glancing at the papers on her desk. Standing up, she made her way over to the boy, and extended her hand. "My name is Souna Shitori. It is a pleasure to meet you" she greeted, as the boy grasped her hand and shook it.

"Shintarou Kurokawa, but you already knew that~" the boy chuckled awkwardly "And please, the pleasure is mine."

"Humble" Souna remarked, looking at Shin with a tiny smile "Not a bad trait to have."

Shin could only chuckle a bit, not sure as to what he should say. Letting Shin's hand go, Souna gestured toward the other people in the room.

"These are the rest of the rest of the Student Council members. Everyone, please introduce yourselves" she instructed, as the students stood up.

"Heya! I'm Tomoe Meguri! Nice to meet you~" a girl with reddish-brown hair greeted energetically, making Shin wave awkwardly. After Tomoe, a short girl with brown hair tied into long ponytails stepped up.

"Hello! My name's Ruruko Nimura! It's nice to meet ya" she said, bowing her head a little, a gesture that Shin returned. Then, a girl with short blue hair took over.

"My name is Tsubasa Yura. Pleased to meet you." she ended her introduction with a slight bow. A little surprised at the short introduction, Shin bowed his head regardless.

Shin then looked over to his right, where a girl with medium length white hair stepped forward.

"Hello, Kurokawa-san. I'm Momo Hanakai. It's nice to meet you" she greeted with a smile, getting a smile in return from Shin. Then, a girl with long brown hair ending in two braids stepped up.

"Good day to you Kurokawa-san. My name is Reya Kusaka. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." she bowed, prompting Shin to return the gesture. Then, he looked over at a young bespectacled woman with long black hair that reached to her knees, and heterochromic eyes.

"A pleasure to meet you Kurokawa-san. My name is Tsubaki Shinra, the Vice-President of the Student Council" she said, bowing her head. Shin quickly returned the gesture, bowing a little deeper than with the other students council members, due to Tsubaki being the Vice-President.

Finally, Shin looked over at a young man around his age, with short blond hair, wearing an altered version of the boys uniform, although without the blazer and the sleeves rolled up.

"Name's Genshiro Saji. Nice to meet ya" he greeted halfheartedly, making Souna look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Saji, what did I say about greeting fellow students" she asked, more like stated, making Saji suddenly straighten up.

"I-I mean, hello Kurokawa-san! My name is Genshiro Saji! It's a pleasure to meet you!" he said like a robot, making Souna nod in approval, while Shin sweatdropped. Looking back, Souna turned her sights to the other two females in the room.

"Why don't you two introduce yourselves as well?" she suggested, as the red hair stepped forward, a friendly smile on her face.

"It's nice to meet you Kurokawa-kun. My name is Rias Gremory" Rias greeted, as Shin subtly raised an eyebrow and the '-kun' suffix she used, but decided to ignore it for now. "Akeno?" she looked over at the raven haired beauty, who giggled in her hand, before turning to Shin.

"Fufu~ My name is Akeno Himejima~ It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kurokawa-san~" she bowed, adding a seductive undertone for the word 'pleasure', something Shin didn't miss. He did however get distracted by Akeno's assets, who jiggled when she bowed.

Souna then glanced at the clock, noting that it was almost time for classes to start.

"Alright, it looks like introduction took a little more than I anticipated" she noted, looking back at Shin. "There's not enough time to show you around the entire school, but I think we can manage to show you just enough for you to still arrive to class fashionably late."

He opened his mouth to respond, however it seems he was beaten to the punch, as a familiar female voice resounded.

"SOOOO-TAAAANN!" as the voice echoed through the hallway behind the wooden doors, Souna paled, while everyone else bar Shin opened their eyes wide in surprise, as well as a little fear.

 ***BANG!***

And no sooner, did the doors get banged open, as the magical girl from before now stood in the room. She didn't say anything, but scanned the room, before immediately jumping toward Souna, enveloping her in the same bone crushing hug that she used on Shin.

Said boy also opened his eyes in surprise, but for different reasons than the rest of the people around him.

"So-tan, you have no idea how much I've missed you~!" the girl Shin knew as 'Sera' exclaimed, spinning Souna around. Poor girl having the biggest blush of embarrassment on her face.

"I kept getting lost, and somehow no one was around to show me where Kuoh was, but then this cute guy showed up and showed me the way, and then we arrived, and I gave him the magic flyer and then I tried to find you but I kept getting lost again, before I remembered that I can just teleport to you, but by the time I realized that I was right outside that door behind me!" although she talked fast, the people in the room still managed to catch everything she said, and again, everyone bar Shin opened their eyes even wider, as Sera talked about 'magic' and 'teleportation', worry appearing on their face.

"Did ya miss me~?!" Sera exclaimed, finally putting Souna back on the ground. Said girl took a second to get her thoughts back together, before quickly snapping her head toward Sera.

"O-Onee-sama! We're not alone!" she whisper-yelled, glancing at Shin, who was standing next to Akeno awkwardly. Catching the glance, Sera turned looked behind her, finally noticing Shin. "Oh, it's you again~ How are you~?" she greeted with a childish smile, making everyone sweatdrop, and turn their sights to Shin.

"I-I'm good, thank you for asking..." he smiled, scratching his cheek awkwardly. Sera nodded her head, before turning back to Souna.

"He's a really nice guy, So-tan~ Maybe you should think about recruiting him too~" she blurted out, making Souna, Rias and Akeno's eyes become wide as dinner plates.

"Recruit?" Shin titled his head to the side in confusion, making the aforementioned girls pale slightly. And then, a light bulb appeared above his head. "Oh, you must mean like recruit into the Student Council, don't you~?" he guessed, tapping his fist into his palm. Hearing his response, the other students released a breath.

"Y-Yes that's right!" Souna answered quickly, not letting any other idea roam in Shin's head. "But I would have to wait for a little longer until I can consider offering you a position into the Student Council" she managed to compose herself enough to save the situation.

"No need to~ Student Council-ing isn't for me~" he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. Sighing in relief, Souna quickly glanced at Rias, who nodded her head in understanding.

"Well, Kurokawa-kun, it looks like Souna is a little busy right now, so allow us to show you around instead~" Rias said, quickly turning around and leaving the room, Akeno following soon after, grabbing Shin's had and dragging him along.

As the three left the room, Shin watched as the doors to the Student Council closed, before the sounds of a commotion could be heard, causing him to sweatdrop.

"Is something happening in there?" he asked, worried for what was possibly going down in the Student Council room.

"Everything will be just fine, Kurokawa-san~" Akeno responded, letting go of Shin's hand, allowing him to follow on his own.

The three walked around the school for a bit, with Rias showing Shin all the rooms he needed to know at the beginning, such as the locker rooms, the infirmary, bathroom and whatnot. Walking through the hallways, Rias turned to the young teen.

"Say, what classroom are you in, Kurokawa-kun?" she asked, as Shin pulled out the same slip of paper from before.

"It says here that I'm in class 2-B" Shin answered, putting the note back in his pocket. Rias hummed in thought, softly raising an eyebrow.

"Then we'll end the tour with your classroom. I hope you didn't get too bored~" she chuckled, making Shin smile a bit in return.

"Well, knowing your way around can come in handy, so it may have been a little boring, but certainly not useless~" he chuckled, as the three approached the door to a classroom. Rias then knocked on the door, and waited for the teacher to open it.

Moments prior, inside Class 2-B…

"Hey have you guys heard?" a girl whispered to her friends, as the teacher wrote something on the black board.

"Are you talking about this morning?" a girl with brown hair asked, getting the attention of most of the class.

"Yeah, I heard there was a new transfer student!" the first girl exclaimed, making everyone turn to her.

"Really? I hope it's a cute guy~" a girl with pink hair said, blushing a bit.

The boys in class, on the other hand…

"Nah man, I hope it's a hot chick" a guy in the back mumbled, leaning over to his friend.

"Yeah one with big boobs!" his friend exclaimed. At that, a boy with brown hair, wearing his student uniform open, exposing his red T-Shirt, perked up. Before he could join the conversation however, a knock was heard, making literally everyone turn their heads toward the door.

The teacher quickly glanced at a book on his desk, before looking back at the door.

"I wonder..." he mumbled, going over to open the door.

Stepping outside in the hallway, he noticed Rias and Akeno standing next to an unknown young man.

"Ah, there you were. Kurokawa-san, I presume?" the teacher asked, getting a nod from Shin. "Alright then. Please wait out here for a second" he said, returning to the classroom, where Shin could hear him settling the class down.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Kurokawa-kun~ We need to head to our own classes now" Rias said, giving Shin a wink, before turning to leave. Akeno followed suit, but not before quickly leaning into Shin's ear.

"If you ever need any help, I'm more than willing to help~" she whispered, before giving Shin a flirty wink, and following after Rias.

"You may come in now" Shin heard the teachers voice call out. Taking a deep breath, Shin opened the door, and stepped inside.

Inside, the female faces lit up, while the male fell, as the midnight haired boy made his way to the teacher's desk, awkwardly glancing at the students to his right.

"Why don't you introduce yourself, Kurokawa-kun?" the teacher suggested, as Shin stood next to the desk. Nodding, Shin turned to the class.

"Well, a good day to you all. My name is Shintarou Kurokawa, but friends call me Shin. I hope we can all get along" he greeted, bowing his head. Nodding, the teacher turned to the students.

"We can spare a few minutes, so if any of you have any questions, now's the time to ask" he said, almost all girls immediately raising their hands. Sweatdropping a bit, the teacher nodded his head at a girl with short pink hair. "Katase?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked straight out, taking Shin by surprise. The boy tried to respond, but it seems er question broke the dam.

"Are you open to a polygamous relationship?" another girl butted in, before Shin could speak.

"How many girlfriends did you have?" and another…

"What are you looking for in a girl?" yet again…

"Do you work out?"

"Is that your real eye color?"

"How are you so hot?!" a random girl exclaimed, making Shin raise an eyebrow. However, it was now the boys turn to ask questions, shutting Shin up again.

"What's your secret?!" a boy exclaimed, followed by some others.

"How do you do this?!"

"Stop stealing all of the girls Handsome!" a bald male student exclaimed, followed by his neighbor, a boy with large glasses.

"Yeah, your kind should just burn down!"

"Do you like girls with big oppai?!" the brown haired boy exclaimed, clenching his fist with passion.

"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE QUIET DOWN!" the teacher exclaimed, effectively shutting all students up. Sighing, he turned his head to Shin, who was awkwardly standing there, sweatdropping as all eyes were on him. "Kurokawa-kun, I think it would be best if you just took a seat. Any preference?" he asked. Shin opened his mouth to speak…

"N-nieeghh..?"...however what came out was a strange squeaking sound, that no one really understood.

' _That wasn't an answer, that was a malfunction...'_ was the collective thought of the students, who sweatdropped.

"Uh..what?" the teacher was in the same boat as the students, sweatdropping at Shin's unusual response. Said boy began rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"S-Sorry about that...I make random noises when I feel under pressure~" he chuckled, his voice cracking a little toward the end. Nodding his head once again, the teacher released a breath, before looking at the clock.

"Well, looks like we're running out of time. We can continue this during recess, if your fellow students can think of more decent questions, that is" he said, raising an eyebrow at the class, who looked a little sheepish. "You can take a seat in front of Hyoudou. Issei, please raise your hand so Kurokawa-san knows where to go" he called, as the brown haired boy from before raised his hand.

Nodding his head, Shin walked forward, seating himself conveniently by the window. He looked forward as the teacher resumed the lesson, before he felt someone tapping his shoulder. Glancing behind him, he saw the brown haired boy extending his hand toward him, a friendly smile on his face.

"I'm Issei Hyoudou. Nice to meet you" he greeted. Shin smiled a bit as well, before grasping Issei's hand and shaking it.

.

.

.

"...Why do I get the feeling this hand was used for something dirty?"

A while later, the bell rang signaling recess. After the teacher left, Shin noticed a couple of girl hurrying out of the room, mumbling something about Kendo practice. The boy simply shrugged, and turned his head to the right.

Looking out the window, Shin noticed a nice and quiet spot close to the track field. It was even better, due to the trees that grew around, providing shade in the bright sunlight. Standing up, he swiftly left the room, before his fellow students could bombard him with weird questions again.

Back on campus, he began wondering around, trying to pinpoint the spot he saw from the window.

As he did, he happened to come across something rather interesting.

"Oh man, this peeping spot is perfect!" Shin heard a whispered voice coming from behind some bushes. Raising an eyebrow, Shin looked around, as if to see whether the voice really came from the bushes.

"Oh hell yeah! You're a genius for finding this place Motohama!" another voice responded, confirming that the voices really did come from a bush.

' _Voice from a bush...that sounds familiar...'_ Shin mumbled in his own mind, squinting his eyes a bit, as if it would help him remember.

"Ohoho~ Look at those oppai! They jiggle so much!" and then, Shin heard a voice he definitely recognized. Narrowing his eyes a bit, he peeked over the bushes, exposing the culprits.

"This is definitely going to the Spank Bank for later!" Issei mumbled, a lewd expression on his face. He and two others were currently bending over, looking through a single hole in the wooden wall of the Kendo Building.

Crossing his arms, Shin silently made his way over, crouching right behind the trio. And then, he leaned in.

"What are you guys doing?" he whispered.

"We're trying to see some tits!" the bold one whispered in return, trying to get a better look through the hole.

"We'd tell you to join but there isn't enough room" the one with the glasses remarked, pushing the bald one out the way.

"I see. Well that certainly unfortunate" Shin said normally, standing back up. And it seems like that finally woke the three out of their 'trance', as they slowly looked behind them. But as they did, they saw something a little different.

Due to the sun being right behind him, only Shin's silhouette was visible. A black form, coupled with piercing fluorescent blue eyes, staring the three down, looked nothing short of a predator about to attack it's prey.

"""KYAA!""" the three squeaked in surprise, before quickly covering each others mouths, hoping nobody heard them.

"What was that?" the four heard a girl inside the Kendo Club exclaim.

"Kya! It's those perverts again!" another one shrieked, making the trio pale.

"Shit, we've been found out!" baldy exclaimed, as he and the other one suddenly got up.

"Let's run before they catch us!" he exclaimed, as the two tried to run past Shin.

That was a mistake.

The boy simply raised both of his arms to the side, letting the two run neck-first into his forearms, effectively clothes-lining themselves, before falling to the ground in pain.

"Matsuda! Motohama!" Issei exclaimed, before looking back up at Shin, who had a pretty disappointed expression on his face. Issei squeaked a bit, before trying to back up, only to hit the wall.

"There they are!" the boys heard one of the kendo girls exclaim, making Issei gulp.

And it didn't take long until a horde of girls, half dressed in kendo uniforms showed up, surrounding the two downed boys, but letting a clear path for Shin. They seemed a little surprised at the fact that Baldy and Glasses were already out for the count, but didn't hesitate to administer punishment usind their trusty bokkens.

While the rest of the girls were busy playing stationary Whack-a-Mole with Matsuda and Motohama, Katase and her friend approached Issei, who paled a bit.

"You perverts just won't learn!" Katase growled, raising her bokken high, before going for a downward slash, ready to crack Issei's skull open. Issei closed his eyes in response, awaiting the inevitable pain. However, it never came.

"I say we just calm down for a second" Shin said calmly, having a firm grip on Katase's bokken, which was only a few inches away from Issei's skull. Issei, along with Katase and her friend, were taken completely by surprise at how fast Shin's reflexes were. However, Katase managed to snap out of it, and tried to pry her bokken out of Shin's grasp.

"Don't defend them Kurokawa-kun! They're all just filthy perverts!" she exclaimed, trying even harder to retrieve her wooden sword, to no avail.

"Okay, first off, you're better off giving up on prying your bokken out. Ain't gonna happen" Shin raised a finger, looking over at Katase. Seizing the opportunity, Katase's friend tried to deliver punishment instead. "Second off-"

 ***GRIP***

"That ain't going to work either" he stated, using his other hand to hold the second bokken in place. "And finally third off, I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Even 'perverts'" he stated, making Issei look at him with teary eyes.

"Oh thanks a lot dude-guh?!" Issei started, before a foot was planted on his face, stopping him in his tracks.

"It'd best if you shut up for the moment, Hyoudou-san" Shin said, keeping his foot on Issei's face. His response, came in the form of nodding from Issei. Nodding, he looked back at Katase and her friend. "Now, can we please just talk this out?" he suggested.

"No way! Murayama tell him!" Katase declined immediately, shaking her head, trying even harder to release her bokken.

"Yeah, this is the fifth time we've caught these perverts trying to peep on us since the semester started!" Murayama exclaimed, following Katase's example in trying to pull her bokken out of Shin's hand.

"Fifth?" Shin asked incredulously, looking down at Issei with a blank expression. "Really? If I'm not mistaken, it's barely been two weeks" he said, hearing a muffled, and awkward, chuckle from Issei. Sighing, Shin suddenly opened his hands, letting go of the bokkens.

"Ah!"

"Kya!"

Also causing their owners to fall back, due to the how hard they were pulling previously. Looking back at the girls, Shin noticed two things.

The first, being that Matsuda and Motohama were now lying in a steaming heap to the side, groaning in pain. The second, was that the little commotion had managed to gather quite the crowd around.

As the girls picked themselves back up, Shin suddenly got an idea, as to how he could solve the situation.

"Alright, if you really want to make Issei pay for peeping, then how about me make a deal?" he proposed, somehow managing to get Katase and Murayama's attention.

"What do you mean?" the pinkette asked. Releasing a little breath in relief, Shin pointed behind him, where the dojo for the Kendo Club was.

"We'll settle this with a kendo match. You two versus me. If you win, you can beat Issei to your hearts content. Crack his skull open, I don't care" he said, making Issei pale completely, while Katase and her friend seemed to be listening intently. "But, if I win, then you two have to forgive this time. Sound fair?"

The girls seemed to think for a little bit, before Katase nodded.

"Alright, agreed. As much as I hate to fight a cute guy, that pervert needs to be punished!" she explained, glaring dagger at Issei, who cowered behind Shin.

"Then let's get the show on the road" the ravenette said.

And thus, everyone now stood in the Kendo Club dojo, waiting for the match to begin.

In the ring, were Katase and Murayama, standing opposite of Shin. While the two girls were wearing the appropriate attire for kendo, Shin simply took his blazer off, which he put on the ground.

He then went over to the wooden sword display, and picked up a normal katana style bokken. Doing a few practice slashes, he nodded his head in approval, before returning to his original spot, assuming his battle stance. Said battle stance consisted of Shin sliding his left foot backward a bit, and pointing the tip of his bokken forward.

"Kurokawa-kun, are you sure you don't want to wear the practice attire? We won't hold back!" Katase warned, as her and Murayama assumed their battle stances as well.

"I'll be just fine" Shin answered passively, looking at the two. "Just make this entertaining" he smirked a bit, as his expression turned serious.

"Then here we come!" Murayama exclaimed, as she rushed Shin, going for the classic downward slash.

Shin didn't even need to do much, as he simply side stepped out of the way, before attempting a sideways slash, which Murayama dodged. As Murayama retreated, Katase stepped forward.

Firstly, she quickly closed the gap between her and Shin, and attempted an upward slash once she reached Shin.

' _She's fast…!'_ Shin exclaimed in his mind, managing to duck under the strike just in time. He then tried to swipe Katase's feet, but she jumped back just in time.

Returning to her friend, Katase and Murayama exchanged looks, as if communicating telepathically. The then nodded, and rushed Shin together, with Katase leading, and Murayama close behind. Seeing this, Shin narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious for a second.

The two reached Shin quickly, as Katase went forward with a straight stab for Shin's torso, in an attempt to make him dodge to the side. As expected, he slid to the right, in order to avoid to Katase's stab.

"I've got you!" However, Murayama suddenly sprang forward, going for a downward slash aimed at Shin's collarbone. Opening his eyes wide in surprise, Shin barely managed to raise his bokken up, and parry her attack, redirecting it downward.

However, as he did, he also turned his back to Katase, who saw a golden opportunity, and struck high, aiming for the back of Shin's head.

His instincts immediately kicked in, and without looking, he dodged under Katase's slash, taking her by surprise. He then used the momentum he'd built, to lift Murayama's bokken up with his own, making her wooden sword clash against Katase's.

Using the spin, he crouched down low, and swiped Katase's feet from under her making her bokken fly out of her hand. He then spun in place, grabbed the pinkette's bokken, and with a circular motion placed the tip right in front of her neck, reversing his own bokken in his hand, and sliding it in front of Murayama's neck, causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

With Katase at his feet, and Murayama behind him, both having bokkens at their necks, Shin had ended the match, in a matter of seconds.

"You're both dead" Shin stated, taking the bokkens away from the girls necks.

It was silent for a second, before the little crown that had gathered in the dojo began cheering, at the awesome finish. Of course, the Kendo girls weren't all that pleased, because now Issei got to walk away scot-free.

"Dammit…!" Katase mumbled, before a hand extended in front of her, courtesy of Shin. Taking it, he helped her back on her feet, where she took off her protective mask. "As much as I hate to admit, you won..." she mumbled, before spotting Issei in the crowd, giving him the dirtiest of glares, meaning something along the lines of 'don't think you'll be so lucky next time!'.

Issei seemingly got the message, as he gulped. Satisfied, Katase turned back to Shin, who placed his bokken back on the display. He then turned, and grabbed his blazer, putting it back on.

But as he did, he noticed a very obvious patch of red hair among the crowd. Looking closer, he noticed Rias looking at him with a very interested look on her face, Akeno standing right next to her with pretty much the same expression, only her was accompanied by a little blush.

He also noticed a young man he hasn't seen before, with short blonde hair and gray eyes, standing next to the two. And like the girls, he seemed a little intrigued as well, though he managed to hide it well behind his smile.

"That was a good match you two" Shin said, stepping off the ring. He then turned to them with a smile "We should do this again sometime~"

The girls nodded their heads, obvious blushes on their faces. It was then that the bell rang once again, signaling the end of recess, making most of the students present hurry back to class. Shin was among those students, and he just so happened to grab Issei and pull him along, so they wouldn't be late.

After everyone left, Rias, Akeno and the young man were left alone in the dojo.

"What do you think Yuuto?" Rias asked, turning to look at her male companion.

"The skill is certainly there" Yuuto answered, a contemplating expression on his face. "I can't tell exactly how skilled he is, but he could definitely hold his own President." turning to Rias, she placed a finger on her lips, seemingly thinking hard on something.

"Ara, are you thinking of recruiting him too Buchou?" Akeno asked, placing a hand on her cheek.

"There's something about him..." Rias mumbled "It's like with Hyoudou-kun. I'm not quite sure what it is yet, but there's definitely something. And if Serafall has her eye on him as well, then it's definitely something strong" she sighed a little, before shaking her head. "For now, we'll keep observing Hyoudou-kun like" she then turned to Akeno "However, I want you to keep an eye on Kurokawa-kun as well. With some luck, I may have a chance to reincarnate him before Serafall"

"He's not a toy, Rias" Akeno said seriously. "You can't just turn someone without their consent" she said, making Rias hang her head a bit.

"You're right..." she sighed a bit, before looking back at Akeno. "But I'd still like for you to keep an eye out for him. Make sure he's safe until Serafall decides to ask him"

"I can definitely do that~" Akeno replied, resuming her usual demeanor.

"What about Hyoudou-kun Buchou?" Yuuto inquired, raising an eyebrow. Rias hummed in thought for a moment, before responding.

"I think Koneko should be able to keep track of him for now" she then turned to the blonde "Unless you're interested in doing it instead~?"

"I have no problem with it" Yuuto responded, having his signature smile.

"Then we'll see whose available tonight, and discuss it then. For now, let's head back to class." and with that, the three turned and left the dojo as well.

A while later, the bell rang again, signaling the end of classes for the day.

Most students didn't go home, but left for their club activities instead. However, this was Shin's first day at the academy, so he had no club to attend to.

And so, he found himself walking along campus, heading for the front gates. As he walked however, he heard someone running behind him. Curiously, he glanced back, seeing none other than Issei jogging toward him.

Reaching Shin, Issei took a moment to catch his breath, before straightening back up.

"Hey. I wanted to thank you for saving my butt today. The kendo girls would've probably beaten me to a pulp if it weren't for you~" he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Shin looked at him for a moment, before letting a small smile appear on his lips.

"There's nothing to thank me for. But do know that I won't save you next time" he stated, looking at Issei with his eyebrow raised.

"Then I'll have to be more careful from now on~" he chuckled, making Shin's eyebrow raise higher.

"You mean you'll stop altogether right?" he asked amused

"Oh come on! I have teenage hormones! I can't help but want to have a look at those oppai!" he exclaimed, as the two began walking toward the gates. "Haven't you ever tried to peep? Not once?"

"No, not really" Shin answered immediately, making Issei look at him dumbfounded.

"Are you gay?" he blurted out, making Shin sputter, before laughing out loud. "Hey, what are you laughing at!"

"Ahahaha~" Shin laughed, holding his belly. He did manage to calm himself however, before answering. "I can assure you, Hyoudou-san. I am attracted to the opposite sex just as much as you. I just learned to hide it~" he said, still giggling a bit.

"Well, good for you, I guess..." Issei mumbled, as the two passed through the gates. He then turned to head right, while Shin turned left. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked.

"I guess you will" Shin nodded his head, before turning around, and beginning to walk away.

Issei watched him for a little while longer, before following the example, and heading home.

As he was walking along the orange lit streets, Shin came across a little bridge, crossing over a small pond. Shrugging a bit, he leaned over the railings, peering down into the clear water below, enjoying the quiet around him.

"Kuoh is certainly an interesting school, isn't it?" he asked, not looking up from his reflection.

"It's not always this crazy~" came the sweet voice of Akeno, as her reflection appeared beside Shin's "You'll get used to it in time~" she smiled, making a smile appear on Shin's reflection as well.

"I'd better~" Shin chuckled, glancing at the real Akeno beside him "I may not look like it, but I only have so much patience. If every day gets crazy like today, I might just explode~"

"Ufufu, I wouldn't want to be around that~" Akeno giggled, as Shin stepped away from the railings.

"You're right about that" Shin noted, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "You're going home too?" he asked, as the two began walking side by side.

"Well, I normally have club activities right now, but our president was kind enough to give me the day off~" she sang, as Shin raised an eyebrow.

"So you're in a club too? What club is that?" he asked, looking at the ravenette beside him.

"It's called the Occult Research Club, or ORC for short~" she said, her smile ever present.

"Occult huh?" Shin mumbled. "So you guys research into that whole demonic stuff, right?" he guessed, as Akeno shook her head from side to side for a bit.

"Among other things~" she answered, before looking at him curiously. "Are you thinking of joining~?"

"Nah" he answered almost immediately. "I've had about enough of that already" he sighed, making Akeno raise an eyebrow.

"What happened?" she inquired, as Shin looked up in the sky.

"My mother had pretty close ties with people in the church" he said, immediately making Akeno's heart skip a beat. And not in the good way. "She would always take me around the Vatican, to visit the Vatican Church. And everytime I did, I kept hearing about devils, fallen angels, holy swords..." he enumerated, as Akeno started feeling a cold shiver running down her spine. "But I never believed in all of that crap~" he added, making Akeno unconsciously breathe in relief. "All a bunch of useless junk a five year old has nothing to do with. Though there were some interesting people I met while visiting the church" he remarked offhandedly.

"For example?" Akeno asked, managing to keep her composure, as the shiver on her spine began to recede.

"Can't really remember their names right now, but every time my mother took me there, those people would be there waiting. I remember one of them actually helped me escape one of the lectures, because of how boring the priest was~" he chuckled a bit, a small smile on his face.

Seeing the smile, Akeno could help as her own reformed on her face, her sense of dread receding completely.

"I guess they were really understanding~" she remarked, as Shin laughed softly.

"A whole lot more understanding than you'd think..." he mumbled, before the two fell back into silence. Fortunately, Shin was the one to break it pretty fast. "Say, who was that woman from before? Sera-tan, I think she called herself?" he asked, as a sweatdrop formed on Akeno's face.

"W-Well, she's actually the Student Council President's older sister~" she giggled awkwardly. "She can be a little...eccentric~"

"Well, I've seen weirder. Quite frankly, a little bit of crazy is necessary in everyone's lives~" he remarked.

Soon enough, the two began walking up a little hill, before Shin stopped in front of relatively small house.

"Is this where you live?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Shin nodded his head, as he unlocked the gate. "But, isn't it a little small?"

"Well, I'm the only resident, so I don't see why I should be any bigger" Shin remarked, looking back at Akeno. Hearing his response, the girl raised an eyebrow.

"But what about your parents? Don't they live here too?" she asked, regretting it instantly as Shin's face fell slightly.

"'Fraid they're gone...have been for quite a while now." Shin turned around, and walked through the gate, looking back at Akeno with a little smile. "But the past is in the past. Keep looking forward, is what they would always say~" he chuckled, before sighing a bit. "Thanks for walking with me Himejima-san. I really enjoyed it" he smiled, causing a little, but honest smile to form on Akeno's lips as well.

"As I said, if you ever need anything, I'm more than willing to help~" he asnwered, as Shin nodded his head. "Also, please call me Akeno~"

"Then Akeno-san it is~" he smiled, turning back. However, he stopped once again. "If we're already going by first names, then please feel free to call me Shin" he said, glancing back at the raven haired beauty.

Said girl nodded her head, her smile still present.

"See you tomorrow" Shin called, before turning around, and entering his house.

Akeno remained in front of the gate for a minute longer, before going on her way as well.

As she was walking, she couldn't help but go back to her conversation with Shin.

' _He grew up around the church...The Vatican Church no less...'_ she thought, a slightly worried expression on her face. _'He said it was all in the past...but I can't know for sure...'_ and then, her worried expression turned into a little mischievous one. _'Looks like I'll have to get a little closer to Shin-kun...Ufufu~'_

She then went down a lone alley. Making sure no one else was present, she closed her eyes, before an intricate symbol appeared under her feet, enveloping her in a crimson light, before she disappeared.

"What a day..." Shin sighed, plopping down on the couch inside his living room. Looking toward the ceiling, he released a breath. "Well, it could've certainly been worse.."

He then stood up, and went in the kitchen, which was actually the same room as the living room, a little wall being the only thing separating them. He then went over to one of the cupboards, and grabbed a cup of instant noodles, placing it on the counter.

He then quickly boiled some water, and poured it inside the cup, pacing a little timer right next to it, which was set at 3 minutes.

Going back into the kitchen, he sat back down on the sofa, and turned on the TV.

"Kuoh Academy...Not the worst place to take a little break in. It's certainly quiet...I wonder if she would like it here…?" he wondered, before he heard a short ding in the kitchen.

Going over, he opened the cup again, grabbed a pair of chopsticks and went over to the TV again. Plopping on the couch, he began slurping his dinner, while watching cartoons. It wasn't what a person as old as Shin would be watching, but the boy found it to be oddly satisfying and relaxing.

Some time passed, before Shin finally finished his noodles. Standing up, he threw the cup and chopsticks into the trash, before returning to the living room.

 ***RIIIINNGG***

"Huh?" Shin was surprised to hear his landline phone ringing in the hallway. Quickly going over, he looked at the number, raising an eyebrow as he did. He shook his head a bit, before grabbing the phone and placing it at his ear.

"Yello~?" he greeted in a goofy voice, almost immediately hearing a child's giggling on the other side.

" **It's me Nii-chan! Did you miss me?"** he heard a little girl speak in a cheerful voice. He didn't even need to see her, to know she had one of the biggest smiles on her face. And that, made a little smile appear on Shin's face as well.

"Well, considering I saw you just last week..." he began, building up anticipation, feeling the person on the other end practically leaning in. "No." he deadpanned, immediately hearing someone facefault on the other side, making him giggle a bit.

" **Mouu, you're mean Nii-chan!"** the little girl exclaimed, making Shin giggle even more. "It's not funny!" she shrieked, making Shin burst out laughing. If one listened close, they would hear a mature woman giggling on the other side of the phone as well.

"Oh you're right there~" he started, managing to bring the laughing down to a chuckle "It's not funny...It's hilarious~" he laughed once more, practically feeling the little girl's glare all the way from the other side.

" **...Baka"** she mumbled, as Shin calmed down again.

"Oh, don't be like that~ You know I can practically see you putting right? Remember that you look like a chipmunk when you do that, and it'll only make me laugh even more" he giggled, before it turned to a chuckle. "Ehehe...Ahh...A chipmunk~ That sound fitting though, right? Chibiko the Chipmunk! Fits like a glove-ahaha~" he laughed again.

" **Now, now Shin, you know you can't tease her like that"** a mature woman spoke on the phone, making Shin stop laughing, almost immediately. **"...She'll really turn into a chipmunk if you do, you know~?"** she giggled, making Shin bust out laughing again.

" _ **Mouu! You're both so mean! Meanies!"**_ Shin heard the little girl exclaim from a little further away, before a door was opened and slammed shut.

"I think I overdid it a bit~" he chuckled, managing to stop laughing entirely. The woman on the phone hummed a bit, before answering.

" **You know how she gets. It'll be gone by tomorrow~"** the woman assured in a laid back tone, as if she was already used to this. **"So, Shin. How is Kuoh? I trust the house had everything you need?"** she asked, receiving a positive hum from Shin.

"It has everything a teenager should have. Well, minus the friends, but I am working on it!" he explained, nodding his head strongly. The woman chuckled a bit at the answer.

" **Well, that's certainly good to hear. But how about your bedroom? Isn't it a little...lonely~?"** she asked in a teasing tone, making Shin shake his head, a grin on his face.

"Yes, yes, the beds really lonely and cold, and why don't you come over to help warm it up. I already know the routine, mind you. You're going to have to get a little more creative~" he answered, a smug grin a his face.

" **Creative, eh? I'll have to think about it…"** the woman replied, as if thinking already. **"But all jokes aside. Have any of the...special residents at Kuoh tried anything yet?"** she asked, as Shin's expression turned neutral, a poker face plastered on it.

"Nothing yet, but I assume their thinking about it. I don't know how they're going to proceed, so I'll just have to wait and see. It's interesting though. Serafall already gave me her flyer~" he chuckled.

" **Already? Why, that's certainly quite fast"** the woman mumbled **"You think she wants to recruit you?"**

"Oh, she wants to recruit me alright. She even said it herself" he chuckled, remembering Sera's entrance in the Student Council "But to be honest, maybe becoming part of her peerage wouldn't be so bad..." he mumbled.

" **You want to let her make you her servant?"** the woman asked dumbfounded.

"No no no" Shin denied it immediately, shaking his head as well. "That would just be degrading. But...maybe acting the part could be interesting~"

" **Shin, what are you thinking of now?"** the woman sighed, knowing Shin came up with something crazy.

"You'll find out soon~" he chuckled, not really helping the woman's worries.

" **...please don't get yourself killed"** the woman deadpanned over the phone, making Shin sputter.

"Ha! As if these guys could kill me" Shin laughed "All jokes aside now. They won't do anything. Not when dealing with me they won't. You know just how persuasive I can be~"

" ***sigh*I trust you Shin. But if anything does happen, then let me know alright?"** the woman asked, concern evident in her voice. Shin rolled his eyes a bit, before answering.

"I will, don't worry" he said calmly "I'll drop by again next week. I'll tell you how things progressed then. Sound good?"

" **That would be most ideal~"** the woman replied happily. **"Just be ready. You know 'Chibiko' will be waiting for you as well~"**

"Alright, so basically. Bring a coat for water balloons, don't use the hairdryers, watch your step around the stairs, don't sit on chairs placed in a suspiciously convenient place, don't eat the Oreo's, don't eat the caramel candy either, always check under a chair for any airhorns, and always make sure to crab walk on a lower level whenever you walk through a door frame. Got it" Shin said, leaving the woman speechless for a moment.

" **...What has she done to you while I was away?"** she asked, amazement and confusion clear in her voice.

"Oh no, she didn't actually do any of that. But kids can get really creative, for all the wrong things, so I just take precautions~" he replied cheerfully.

" **Okay then...I'll have to remember to check the house before you arrive then"** she mumbled, before speaking normally again. **"Well then, I guess we'll talk again next week. Don't forget to call if anything happens!"**

"Yes, mooom..." Shin sighed, shaking his head a bit.

" **Well, someone has to do it right?"** the woman replied immediately. Shin opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out. **"Thought so. Anyway, have a good night Shin. And best of luck tomorrow. Sweet dreams~"**

"Thanks. Sweet dreams to both of you, as well~" he said, before placing the phone back down, ending the call.

Looking at the clock, he noticed it was already 9 PM, so he hurried upstairs to take a final shower, before calling it a day.

 **And that's a wrap~**

 **First of, hello to everyone that's new here~**

 **Welcome, to my first DxD Fanfic! I've had these ideas for a while, but I couldn't really get around to making it.**

 **Until now~**

 **A little disclaimer-thing, right off the bat.**

 **Some characters may be OOC at the beginning. That's because it's actually been a while since I've read or watched Highschool DxD. So, until I get back into the swing of things, characters may act a little different than usual.**

 **But please, feel free to point out the real way they're supposed to behave. It helps, it really does~**

 **What else is there? Oh yeah.**

 **The OC is going to be OP. But, he won't be OP right off the bat. He will be pretty damn strong though. So yeah, just putting that out there. Most ideas I have for this story, contain an OP OC. So until I get those out, there are few chances of a normal OC...sorry.**

 **But even so, I will try to make this story enjoyable! And if I start failing, please feel free to suggest how to improve it~**

 **Now, for the final bit.**

 **This is DxD. There's going to be a harem. There's no way around it. So with that said.**

 **Please suggest what girls you would like Shin and Issei to be paired with. Leave it in the reviews, PM me, whichever you please. However, some girls are already in there. Example:**

 **Shin's Harem: Serafall, Kuroka, Gabriel, WIP.**

 **Issei's Harem: Rias, Asia, WIP.**

 **Of course, as long as the WIP is there, the harems can change. As long as there's enough votes for it AND a good explanation. It doesn't have to be perfect, but an acceptable explanation is enough~**

 **So yeah. I think that was it for now~ Tell me what you thought of the chapter in the reviews, don't forget to suggest and until next chapter~**

 **Bye~**

 **P.S. excuse minor grammatical errors, please~ I'll try my best to correct them in the future.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, welcome to the new chapter~**

Chapter 2: Unlikely companions?

"And so, another day begins..." mumbled Shin, stepping out of his room, and into the sunlit hallway of his house. He then trudged toward his bathroom, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Fortunately for him, he remembered to set his alarm last night, just before going to bed. Thus, he was woken up with plenty of time to spare, before he had to leave. And when Shin has spare time, he likes to do things the lazy way. Slow and steady.

"DIE, DAMN GERMS!" Shin's voice resounded throughout the house.

Stood in front of the bathroom mirror, was Shin, vigorously brushing his teeth. He was scrubbing so hard, the foam made by the toothpaste began overflowing, making Shin appear as if he had a big, fluffy white beard.

After a good minute of scrubbing the hell out of his teeth, Shin leaned over the sink, and spit out all the toothpaste foam in his mouth. Turning the faucet, he let some water gather in the sink.

He then dunked his entire face in the cold water, getting rid of his foam beard, as well as his sleepiness.

After he finished getting freshened up, he stepped out of the bathroom and went downstairs, heading for the kitchen. Inside, he walked over to the fridge, and took a look inside.

"Well, crap. I need to go grocery shopping..." he sweatdropped, looking at his almost empty fridge. Sighing, he simply grabbed a carton of milk, which he placed on the counter. He then reached into one of the cupboards, and grabbed a box of cereal.

Grabbing a bowl and a spoon, he made himself a quick breakfast and pulled out his phone. As he ate, he kept sliding his thumb upward on the screen, looking through his E-Mails.

"Nothing new huh?" he mumbled, his face turning blank. "Looks like I'm going to have to pull out the piggy bank."

After he finished his cereal, he quickly put the bowl in the sink, making a mental note to wash it when he comes back from school, before turning on his heel and heading back to his room upstairs.

A few minutes later, he came back downstairs, dressed in his uniform. Stepping inside the living room, he glanced at the clock, noting it was 6:45 AM.

"Alright, looks like it's time to get going" he noted, grabbing his bag, and heading toward the door. He quickly put on his shoes, checked his pockets to make sure he had everything he needed, and left.

For some reason, he half expected to see the magical girl Sera on his way. He didn't know why exactly, but he was waiting for it. But it didn't happen.

He walked all the way to school with no incident whatsoever. Well...Almost.

* * *

[Kyaa! Our knight arrived!] the female students exclaimed in unison, with heart shaped eyes.

.

.

.

Eh?

Upon arrival on school grounds, Shin's ears were blasted by the female students, shrieking about their 'knight' or 'king'. Shin himself was completely clueless as to why, but that's what he kept hearing, while walking to the entrance.

Avoiding female fans, and male 'enemies' along the way, Shin finally managed to enter the school building, taking a relieved breath.

"I thought Akeno-san said not every day would be crazy...Already starting to doubt it..." Shin mumbled under his breath, before heading up the stairs toward his class.

* * *

Inside his classroom, he received the same welcome. Girls screaming, while the guys were crying and simultaneously threatening. Of course, they were quickly silenced by the girls.

Placed in the current situation, Shin could only give an awkward wave, an equally awkward smile on his face. With a big sweatdrop on his face, he quickly made his way toward his designated seat, and planted his face on the desk, sighing deeply.

"Did these girls pull a complete 180 overnight? I'm actually starting to miss the whole, unknown swordsman-thing..." he mumbled in the wood of his desk, waiting for class to start.

"Looks like someone doesn't fancy the attention they're getting~" a teasing voice said from beside him, causing Shin to lightly jump in his seat.

Looking to his left, he saw a girl with brown hair tied into braids, dark yellow eyes and a pair of glasses. She was wearing the standard Kuoh girls' uniform, only with an addition in the form of a sleeveless sweater.

"I'm sick for one day, and I miss our new transfer student's arrival~" she said, extending her hand. "I'm Aika Kiryuu. It's nice to meet you."

"Shin Kurokawa. A pleasure to meet you as well, Kiryuu-san" Shin smiled, shaking Aika's hand. The girl herself had a smiled as well, before she adjusted her glasses. Then, a lewd grin made it's way on her face, as well as a blush.

"So, Kurokawa-san...What did you eat to get... **that~** " she giggled perversely, looking down between Shin's legs. The boy however, was clueless as to what she was implying.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Kiryuu-san" he said, tilting his head to the side. The girl released another giggle.

"I'm talking about your peni-!"

"Alright, don't harass the new student too!" Issei exclaimed, appearing behind Aika and covering her mouth. The girl struggled a bit, before breaking out of Issei's grip, looking at him with a smirk.

"Harass? I was just asking him a few question~" she said 'innocently'. However, Issei just scoffed, taking a seat behind Shin.

"Yeah right. Because commenting on someone's junk is a 'question'" he stated knowingly, making Aika frown.

"I don't see how you and your friends are any different Hyoudou. Baldy and Scopes over there are pretty much shouting sexual harassment every day. I could call the police y'know? Baldy is a certified Lolicon, so it wouldn't be a problem" she added with a smirk, glancing at the respective fellows a few feet away.

"Hey, watch your mouth!" Matsuda exclaimed, standing up from his seat. "You couldn't begin to understand the beauty of a young body! So sweet and innocent...Like the color white! I can turn it in whatever I want! A fountain of youth!" he spoke with passion, clenching his fist.

"...That was one of the deepest thing I've heard so far" Motohama praised, tears leaking from his eyes. Shin and Issei were just looking at them confused, a slightly creeped out expression on their face.

' _Matsuda, you're my best friend...but that shit was just plain weird'_ Issei thought, a single sweatdrop on his face.

"You know what else is deep?" Aika smirked, adjusting her glasses. "The prison cell the cops are going to throw him in~"

Before Matsuda could retort, the teacher entered the room, going over to his desk. After the students scurried back to their seats, the lesson began, with Shin still wondering what the heck just happened.

* * *

A while later, which was pretty uncomfortable for Shin, as he kept feeling Aika's eyes on him, the bell finally rang, signaling recess. Most students grabbed their lunch, and left the classroom to eat with their friend. But there were still some students who remained inside the classroom, pulling tables together so they could eat together with their friends.

Such was the case for the Perverted Trio, who were currently seated at Issei's desk, eating while talking about perverted stuff.

"But on a more important note" Motohama started, looking to his right. "Issei."

"Hm? What's up?" the boy asked, stuffing a piece of fried shrimp in his mouth.

"How could you betray us like that?!" he exclaimed, as tears began streaming out of his and Matsuda's eyes.

"Eh?! What're you guys talking about?" Issei exclaimed stunned, as the two leaned in his face.

"We saw you fraternizing with that pretty boy Shin!" Matsuda exclaimed, making Shin's ears perk up. Turning his head ever so slightly, he started paying more attention to the conversation behind him.

"That's right! He even saved you from the Kendo girls while we suffered their wrath! What's that shit about!?" Motohama continued, his eyes leaking even more tears. By now, most students present had begun paying attention.

"Alright, now hold on!" Issei exclaimed, slamming his hand on his desk. "I was just trying to be nice, alright!? When did that become a crime?!"

"It's a crime because he's another pretty boy who's going to steal our girls! You're just trying to get on his good side so you can get in on it as well, aren't you?! I thought we were the Perverted Trio!" Matsuda accused, pointing at Issei.

At this point Shin released a sigh, before standing up from his seat, getting everyone's attention. He then quietly left the classroom, making all girls present turn and glare at the trio.

"Dammit you two! Look at what you've done! Why must you ruin my plans!?" he exclaimed, before tackling them to the ground, letting the perv battle commence.

* * *

Walking the lone hallways, Shin scratched his head, an irritated expression of his face.

' _Issei, I really hope you're not as obnoxious as your friends..._ ' he mumbled in his mind, before a sweatdrop formed on his face. _'If they had blue hair as well...Oh hell no, I don't want to think what would happen with three of 'em running around...She alone was almost too much for the two of us to handle...'_ he then shuddered a bit, as if remembering a bad memory.

Shaking his head of the memory, he kept walking aimlessly around the hallways, eventually ending up in the hallway leading to the Student Council. Raising an eyebrow, he remembered what Akeno told him yesterday about her club, and got intrigued.

Once he was in front of the door, he knocked on it twice, taking a step back and waiting for a response.

" _Come in"_ hearing Souna's voice from behind the door, he grasped the knob, and entered the Student Council room.

Inside, he was surprised to see most of the Student Council was missing. The only one that were present, were Souna and Tsubaki. The two girls a little surprised at the appearance.

"Ah, Kurokawa-san. Is something the matter?" Souna asked, quickly putting some papers away. Fortunately for her, Shin was looking around the room, so he didn't notice it.

"Well, not really, so to speak. I have a question though" he replied, finally letting his sights rest on Souna. "I was wondering about the clubs at this school."

"Clubs?" Souna raised a curious eyebrow. Seeing Shin nod, she looked at some papers on her desk, before glancing at Shin. "I take it you want to join a club?"

"I'm thinking about it. But I need to know how I apply before I decide anything~" he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Souna hummed in thought, exchanging subtle glances with Tsubaki. She then looked back at Shin, grabbing a little paper from her drawer, placing it on the desk.

"Well, applying for a club is quite easy, actually. This is the application slip" she explained, sliding the piece of paper forward. Shin walked over, and grabbed the slip, looking at it curiously. "You just have to write in your information, as well as the club you wish to join, and give it to us. We'll then forward it to the respective club, and they'll decide whether you can join or not."

"Huh. That really does sound quite easy" Shin remarked, seemingly thinking about something. "Maybe I should join a club..." he mumbled, making Souna raise an eyebrow.

"Do you already have a club in mind?" she asked, with Shin shrugging his shoulders a bit.

"Well, there's only one I know for sure is not boring" he said, making Souna slightly lean over the desk, intrigued.

"And what club would that be?"

"The Occult Research Club, it think it was called" Shin said, making Souna and Tsubaki open their eyes in surprise. "Akeno-san told me she was a part of that club, so there would be at least one familiar face" he explained.

Souna remained silent, seemingly contemplating something. She then looked back at Shin, who was studying the application slip again.

"Well, I'm certain the ORC is available..." she started, making Shin's eyebrows raise in expectation. "But the final decision falls unto Rias." that last bit made Tsubaki glance at Souna curiously.

"Gremory-san?" Shin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Indeed." Souna nodded her head once, before continuing. "She's actually the president of the Occult Research Club. If you want to get in, you need her permission" she explained, as Shin hummed in thought. "But, since you seem to be getting along with Akeno, you may have a better chance at entering" she smiled a bit, making Shin glance at her curiously.

"And why is that?" he asked.

"Well, just like how Tsubaki here is the Vice-President of the Student Council, Akeno is the Vice-President of the Occult Research Club. If you get on her good side, you may be able to enter immediately" she explained, making Shin open his eyes in surprise.

"Oh, I didn't know that" Shin noted, looking mildly surprised. "Hmm..then maybe I should ask Akeno-san if it's worth it..." mumbling that, he turned toward the door. "Thank you for the help Shitori-san" turning back to Souna, he bowed his head, before leaving the room quietly.

Once the door closed, the girls remained silent for a moment, before Tsubaki turned to Souna.

"Was it really alright to tell him all of that, Kaichou?" she asked, as Souna released a rare chuckle.

"I certainly hope it was" she said, surprising her friend. "He may be a human, but he caught my sisters attention. That, is already an amazing achievement" but then, her expression fell into a frown. "However, I'm afraid she will decide to confront him too late. Those Fallen Angels have probably sensed him as well, and that may put his life at risk" she then adjusted her glasses, before standing up.

"I believe that reincarnating humans should be done with mutual consent. Forcing someone to a new way of life isn't child play, and can leave lasting damage. That is why I believe Kurokawa-san should be made aware of us as soon as possible. That way, if he were to be attacked by, say a Stray Devil or the Fallen Angels, then there may be a better chance he'll summon one of us before it's too late."

She then started heading toward the door, with Tsubaki in tow.

"I take it we're going to the Occult Research Club to share this with Rias-san?" the girl asked, with Souna giving a nod.

"Indeed. I want her to know what to expect" she stated, as the two left the Student Council room, and began walking down the hallway.

* * *

"Hmm" Shin hummed in thought, looking at the blue sky.

After leaving the Student Council room, Shin decided to skip the rest of classes, in order to think of some things. And what better place to do that, than on the school roof. It was also most practical since classes resumed not too long ago, so he was all alone.

"I see, you're enjoying, this silence" the sudden voice of a young girl made Shin glance above him.

There, stood atop the school roof and looking down on the boy, was a young girl with long black hair, dull gray eyes and wearing a purple Gothic Lolita outfit.

"It, has been a while, hasn't it Aeryon?" the girl greeted in a blank tone, her expression mirroring the tone perfectly, bar the ever-so-slight smirk on her lips.

"I go by 'Shin' now" the raven haired boy corrected. "That's the name I've been given this time."

"Ah yes, it seems that I, forgot. Much has changed, since the last time, has it not?" the lolita girl questioned. "I hope you, haven't forgot our, agreement."

"I didn't. But as you can see, I wouldn't be of much help right now" Shin stated, slightly shrugging his shoulders. He then noticed that the girl vanished from her spot, appearing to stand just above Shin's head.

"Indeed, your power has diminished, dramatically. You must feel, weak" she stated, looking down at the boy. "But, even as you are now, you would still be among the strongest in my Faction."

"Oh?" Shin was surprised at hearing the word 'Faction'. "You have a Faction now? My, I've missed a lot over the years" he sighed, as the girl nodded.

"Yes, you have. I am now the leader of a group called the Khaos Brigade. I, want you to join us" she stated clearly, but still in a monotone voice.

"The 'Khaos Brigade'? That's sounds like the name of a group of rowdy kids" Shin noted, in a tone so monotone, one would think he and the girl were siblings.

"I, wasn't the one who named it. I, am only the leader. As long as I, can get my silence, I do not care for what the others want to do. If, they wish to create chaos, then that is their business." came the simple explanation from the girl. Hearing this, Shin raised an eyebrow.

"And how are you sure they won't betray you? Sounds like the right bunch if you're looking for backstabbers" he said, as the girl continued to look indifferent.

"They, won't be able to kill me. I, however, can still destroy all of them, with ease" she said, keeping her eyes fixated on Shin.

"You've become naive..." the raven haired teen mumbled to himself, before glancing at the young girl above him. "Yeah, I'll think about your offer. I still need to see how joining would benefit me."

"If you join us, you could reach the System easier. We, have members from all Factions, among our ranks. A breach, would be easy to initiate."

Hearing the girl's dry attempt at persuasion, Shin scoffed lightly.

"So there's a bunch of rats among the factions? Why am I not surprised..." he mumbled with disdain.

"That is quite, as the humans say, hypocritical, is it not? You yourself, have betrayed others before, haven't you?" the girl questioned while tilting her head to the side. Even though what she said would usually be a dig at someone, her completely monotone tone made it sound like a casual observation instead of anything else.

"That's a completely different story" Shin growled, narrowing his eyes. "And don't meddle in my private affairs."

The girl said nothing, barely registering Shin's warning as such. She then wordlessly turned her back to Shin, who simply glanced back at the sky.

"I, will be waiting for, your response. Remember that, you owe me for the blessing I gave you, all those years ago. You promised to, help me get rid of, Great Red." and with that, the girl vanished from the roof, leaving Shin's to his lonesome.

' _Tch...looks like I'll have to force things to move a little faster. Slight change of plans seems in order...'_ the boy's eyes then closed, letting the gentle breeze brush past his face.

' _But, I can postpone that for another time… The weather is too nice today, it would be a waste not to enjoy it'_ and with that final though, Shin's drifted off to sleep.

* * *

And so, Shin ended up sleeping for a couple of hours, until the bell signaling end of classes woke him up. Standing up, he stretched a bit, before looking around, noting that the sun was beginning to set.

"Well crap, I fell asleep" Shin deadpanned, standing back up. "Good things it's Friday, so no actually cares that skipped classes...At least I hope they don't."

Going over to the fence surrounding the roof, Shin glanced down at the students currently leaving the school. He then remembered that he still needed to go grocery shopping, so he quickly turned around and left the roof.

As he walked toward the gate, he ignored the fangirls he passed along the way, and took the right turn instead of the left, heading toward the shopping center. Once he reached it, he entered the nearest supply store.

A while later, he came out carrying two bags in his arms. Managing to take his phone out of his pocket, he quickly checked the clock, seeing that it was already almost 6 PM.

"Welp, it's about time to head home" he mumbled, putting his phone back in his pocket, adjusting the bags so he had a better grip on them.

"Fancy seeing you here Shin-kun~" a familiar voice came from behind Shin, causing him to jump in surprise, sending his bags flying. However, he managed to catch the bags just in time, moving them so the items that flew out of the bag fell right back into it. After he secured the bags, he released a breath, before turning to look behind him.

Standing there, a plastic bag in her hand, Akeno looked on impressed.

"Oh my, that was quite the display" she giggled, placing a hand on her cheek. Shin promptly blushed a bit, releasing an awkward chuckle.

"W-Well, I was always told I had had pretty good reflexes...hehe.." he explained, a little sweatdrop rolling down his face, while scratching the back of his head.

Akeno hummed in thought, a teasing smile on her face. She then walked closer to Shin, looking at him rather intrigued.

"Is that so?" she asked, leaning on his shoulder. Shin gave a sheepish nod, as Akeno got an idea. "Then, I must ask. How good are your reflexes when it comes to- kyaa?!" she spoke, only to squeak in surprise after accidentally stepping on an empty bottle, causing her to slip up and fall, sending her own bag into the air.

However, instead of the ground, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. Looking up, she saw Shin holding his two bag in his left arm, while his right was holding her waist, keeping her falling on the ground. He then extended his arm, just as her bag fell down, catching it as well.

"Is this how you wanted to test my reflexes?" Shin raised an eyebrow, helping Akeno back to her feet, before handing her bag over. The girl herself graciously took it, giggling a bit.

"Well, I had a different plan in mind, but I guess this works just as well" she smiled ever so brightly, making Shin chuckle a bit. He then glanced at her shopping bag, raising an eyebrow.

"I assume your fridge is looking quite empty as well?" he guessed, as the two began walking side by side again. The ravenette nodded her head, sliding a little closer to Shin.

"Well, not actually empty. It's just missing some things I need to make a proper meal" she explained, gesturing toward her bag, which only had a few items in it.

"Looks like you're off to a great start already. I have no idea what I'm doing..." he laughed pitifully, a depressing aura above his head. Akeno tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you not know how to cook, Shin-kun?" Akeno asked curiously, as Shin scratched the back of his head.

"I...completely suck at it" he giggled sheepishly. "If instant food didn't exist, I would've probably died of starvation by now."

"Hmm, well that's no good" Akeno stated, a cute 'pout' on her face. "I can't have my cute kouhai go hungry like that." she then hugged Shin's arm into her generous bust, making a little blush appear on his face. "If you'd like, I could teach you how to cook~"

"Uhh...sure. Thank you very much!" he bowed his head, as Akeno giggled in her hand.

"Ufufu. As I said, I'm more than happy to help out" she smiled, as the two kept walking through the orange lit streets. After a while, she glanced at Shin.

"So, I heard you're thinking of joining a club" Akeno suddenly brought up.

"Y-Yeah...I guess Shitori-san told you?" he guessed, as Akeno nodded her head, her smile still present.

"Mhm~ She also said you seem to be a little interested in the Occult Research Club. Is it because I'm also a member?" she asked teasingly.

"Well, I certainly do wish to join a club with a least one familiar face" he scratched his cheek, looking to the side.

"But didn't you say that you were pretty fed up with the whole supernatural stuff yesterday?" Akeno said, making a little sweatdrop appear on Shin's face.

"Well yes...But if I join your club I can confirm whether all that nonsense is real or not. And if it isn't then well, at least I'll have a way to pass the time and laugh at those who do believe."

"But when I asked you about joining us, you still said no" the raven haired beauty said, making Shin giggle awkwardly.

"You'd be amazed how much can change in one day.." he chuckled a drily, whilst glancing to the side. "Besides, your club sounds more fun than the rest of the boring clubs out there."

"Well, I can't fault you there" she chuckled, as her violet orbs peered into Shin's own. "But what if you encountered real supernatural things? Would you still think it's better than the 'regular' clubs~?" she asked, amusement in her voice, but her true motives hidden.

"Even if it was, I'd think I can take care a few restless spirits. What're they gonna do? Pass through me and make me shiver? Oh, I'm positively terrified." laughed Shin in a dismissive tone, while Akeno simply raised a bemused eyebrow.

Silence befell the pair for a while, before Akeno spoke up again.

"Say, Shin-kun" she said, making the teen glance at her curiously. "If you don't mind me asking. Yesterday you mentioned growing up around the church. Would you mind telling me more?

"Hmm, what an odd question" Shin mumbled, glancing at Akeno with a raised eyebrow. However the ravenette simply smiled back at him. Sighing, the boy began explaining. "Well, as I told you yesterday, I used to visit the Vatican Church quite often with my mother."

"I always wondered why we were visiting so often myself, but whenever I asked, she would say she was just visiting 'old friends', so I just left it at that. And so, while she was off talking with a bunch of other grown-ups, I'd usually just go out and about by myself to explore. Of course, that'd usually end up with someone finding me and bringing me back to my mother" he explained with and awkward sweatdrop, making Akeno giggle.

"A troublemaker?" she questioned, getting a nod from Shin.

"Oh I was a bane to everything and everyone around me when I was small" he said, before glancing to the side. _'And still am, if I think about it...'_

"But, thankfully, I wasn't the only troublemaker around. On one visit, my mother introduced me to one of her friends. That friend just so happened to be the guardian to a girl my age, who also liked causing trouble, so they though we'd get along."

"And did you?" the ravenette asked, somehow already knowing what the answer would be. And it was proven by Shin's mirthless laugh.

"Oh, we got along alright. About as well as oil and water. But she amused me, so I can't say I wasn't looking forward to meeting up with her whenever we visited. But one day, her guardian said she was busy, so I had to go with my mother to one of the lectures held there. She said this one would be 'special'."

"Mhh, you said something about that yesterday. A lady helped you get out of there?" Akeno remembered, getting another nod from Shin.

"That's right. She caught me trying to sneak out through one of the bathroom windows, and I thought she was going to bring me back to my mother. But, to my surprise, she simply laughed and said my mother told her about me and my tendencies, so she expected me to not be able to last through the whole lecture."

"And after that, she took me out with her and showed me around the Vatican. She showed me the sights there, took me through the shopping district, even bought me some toys. And after that she took me back to my mother" but then, he got a slightly melancholic look in his eyes. "But that would be the first and last time I'd see her."

"You look sad. She must've been a really nice lady" Akeno guessed.

"Well, that happened around ten years ago, and since I still remember it, it's safe to assume it was a pleasant experience" he chuckled, but Akeno seemed surprised.

"Ten years ago?" she questioned. "That's quite a long time. What happened after that?"

However, the girl found herself slightly regretting asking that, as Shin's expression dropped considerably.

"After that...my mother went missing" he said silently, subtly clenching his fist.

"We lived in a fairly remote village around the outskirts of the woods. One night, a group of bandits attacked us" he growled, as multiple screams rang out in his head, followed by vivid flashbacks of people getting cut down right in front of him.

"They pillaged, and killed everyone they came across. Except for me" he said, anger slowly becoming visible on his face. "My mother...she fought them off. She did that to buy me enough time to run away. But unfortunately, a seven year old can only run for so long."

"They eventually found me and beat me within an inch of death and left me for dead in the forest. Truthfully, that was their mistake. People from the church, who got wind of what happened came and found me. They brought me in and nursed me back to health."

"And...what happened to your mother?" Akeno asked slowly, wanting to know the full story, but not sure how long she could go for without crossing the line.

"My mother...I don't know" he said, surprising the girl. "As I said, she went missing. They never found her alive, but they never found a body either."

Akeno remained silent as she took the story in. He went through almost the same thing as her, and yet, he seemed...different. And then, she remembered something she didn't hear being mentioned.

"But what about your father?" she asked, a little something within her reacting to the word 'father'.

"I wish he would've been there to protect us" he said, Akeno narrowing her eyes a little, remembering her own past. "However, he was already six feet underground when that happened" he said, as Akeno's eyes widened.

"O-Oh..." she mumbled, dipping her head.

Seeing this, Shin's face softened as his fist unclenched.

"There's no need for you to look so down" he sighed, making Akeno look back at him. "It happened a long time ago. I've had plenty of time to come to terms with it."

"But what about those bandits?" the girl asked, receiving an immediate answer from Shin.

"They got what they deserved." was his cold answer, which surprised Akeno.

After that, Akeno didn't want to ask anything else, as she was afraid she'd bring up more bad memories. And thus, silence befell the two once again.

* * *

The two kept walking side by side for a little while longer, until they reached a crossroad. There, the two turned in opposite directions.

"I guess this is where we part ways, huh?" Shin noted, looking back at Akeno.

"Looks like it" she agreed, as Shin turned around, and raised his hand.

"Well, see you on Monday Akeno-san. Be safe on your way back" he called, waving goodbye, before going on his way.

Akeno watched on as Shin walked up the street, eventually taking a right turn and disappearing from view. She then turned on her heels, and began heading home as well.

 _ **A few minutes later...**_

As she walked down the lone streets of Kuoh, a golden sunset shining behind her, she heard her phone ringing. Looking at the caller ID, she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Is something wrong Buchou?" she asked, placing the phone close to her ear. Rias' voice came through seconds later.

"Are you alone?" she asked seriously, already giving Akeno an idea as to why she called.

"I am. Do we have new orders?" she asked, making sure no one else was around.

"High priority" she stated, making Akeno's face show surprise, before turning serious. "We just received notice of a powerful Stray hiding in the city. According to intel, it's around High-Class in terms of power, so we need to find and eliminate it as soon as possible. I wanted to let you take today off as well, but we can't take any risks this time."

"It's fine" Akeno reassured. "I was still on my way home. Do we know where the Stray is?"

"First things first, where are you right now Akeno?" Akeno looked around, spotting the shopping district down the street to her left.

"I'm just east to the shopping district. One of the alleys up the street" she explained.

"East of the shopping district? You're the closest to the Stray's location" Rias said, surprising Akeno.

"How close?" she asked, preparing for action.

"You're heading north, past the shopping center right?" Rias asked, receiving a short 'Mhm' from Akeno. "Then the Stray is south. Down the street behind you. If the street turns right, that's the right one."

"-!" Akeno opened her eyes wide, snapping her head behind her. Behind her was the street Shin waked down on

"Akeno?" Rias called out, after Akeno suddenly stopped talking.

"Shin-kun went that way!" she suddenly exclaimed, taking Rias by surprise.

"Kurokawa-kun? Are you sure?" the red head asked, some worry evident in her voice.

"I can sense him getting close to the Stray" she hurried down the street, hoping she could make it before innocent blood was shed.

"Darn...This is exactly what Sona was talking about..." Akeno heard Rias mumble over the phone. "Akeno, go and help him. Serafall made it abundantly clear she wishes to have him in her peerage and I fear what she'll do if he dies before she has a chance to ask him. We'll meet up with you as soon as possible."

"Alright!" Akeno replied, ending the call. She then kept running down the street, keeping a close eye on the two energy signatures she felt. However, as she passed the crossroad, something made her heart skip a beat.

One of the energy signatures suddenly vanished.

* * *

 _ **A few minutes earlier…**_

"Train schedules..." Shin mumbled, looking at his phone, checking the schedules for trains leaving to Kyoto. "Hmm, looks like next Friday would be best. Leave in the morning, get there during the afternoon, stay around two days, then be back by Sunday evening. Pretty solid" he remarked, placing the phone back in his pocket.

He then continued on his way for a few minutes, until he heard something. It was the cry of a child. Raising an eyebrow, Shin looked around the deserted streets. Seeing no one, he looked to his left, where a brick ledge separated the forest from the street. That's when he heard the child's cry again.

"Such a bother..." he sighed. Climbing up the ledge, he peered down into the forest, noting an old warehouse in the dark distance. Narrowing his eyes a bit, he began walking forward.

As he walked, he suddenly felt a sudden chill running down his spine, as the atmosphere around him changed.

' _It's been a while since I've felt this...a strong barrier'_ he thought, a barely noticeable smirk making it's way on his face.

Soon enough, he reached the entrance to the warehouse. Placing his bags at the entrance, he went over to the big rusty doors, and pushed.

* * *

The doors opened slowly, with a loud creaking noise coming from the hinges. He then pushed properly, and opened the door fully, letting the dark orange rays of sun flood the inside of the warehouse.

Shin stepped inside, waving some dust that was kicked into the air out of his face. He then looked around, soon finding what he was looking for.

Hiding away in a corner, was a little girl, no younger than 10.

"Hey kid, are you alright?" Shin called, walking over to the girl. Obviously scared, she tried hiding behind some shelves, thought it didn't really help. As he reached the girl, he bent down to her level, and extended his hand, a warm smile on his face.

"It's alright, little girl. I'm here to help you" he said, as the girl peaked her head out.

"R-Really?" she sobbed.

"Really" Shin nodded his head. The girl looked a little reluctant, but eventually took Shin's hand, and stepped out from behind the shelf.

"Did you get lost?" he asked, as the two began walking toward the entrance.

"Y-Yes..I was exploring the forest, and ended up here" the girl mumbled, lagging a little behind Shin. "But then it got dark, and I was afraid to return on my own." as her hair shadowed her eyes, she suddenly stopped, before an inhumanly large grin appeared on her face, revealing sharp and jagged teeth.

"Yeah, forests are pretty confusing when it get's dark" Shin noted, still walking toward the entrance. Completely oblivious to the fact that the girls body had suddenly begun twisting in inhuman ways, before it transformed into something out of a horror movie.

Behind Shin, was now a large arthropod, reminiscent of a scorpion. It had the upper body of a woman with plate-like protrusions, while the lower body consisted of a long, segmented torso, six legs and a long tail that ended in a jagged stinger. But the worst, was the face, which had morphed into that of a bug, with six eyes and a jaw that opened into four sections, revealing sharp mandibles.

"Say where do you even live kid?" Shin asked, finally noticing that the girl was no longer next to him.

" **HeRee!"** the creature screeched in a demonic voice, before it's stinger lunged toward Shin at blinding speed.

"-huh?" hearing the inhuman screech, Shin turned around to see the creature's stinger heading straight toward him.

* * *

 **FWOOOOSSHHH**

 **.**

 **.**

 ***crackk* *crrack***

With a wave of the hand, a sudden gust of cold air hit the entire warehouse. And within seconds, everything in it, including the monster, was turned into solid violet colored ice.

And at the entrance, hand stretched outward, was Shin.

"Haaah" he released a steamy breath, glancing back up at the frozen creature with glowing blue eyes.

"Maybe try hiding your killing intent until **after** you're certain you can get the jump on someone next time" he spoke blankly toward the Stray, who was nothing more than a chunk of ice now.

The boy then turned on his heels and began making his way toward the entrance.

"Hmm, maybe I should leave this as a display" he mumbled, glancing behind him at his 'work of art'. "Or maybe I should just burn it out of existence" he continued, as black flames gathered in the palm of his hand, burning at a constant rate.

But before he could decide, he felt four energy signatures enter the barrier he was in, and were fast approaching.

"Gee, what took you guys so long?" he mumbled to himself, before his body began disintegrating into a trail of black flames, which vanished from the spot at insane speeds. Just in time, as four figures appeared in front of the ware house.

* * *

"This must be the place" Rias stated, walking toward the doors. Behind her was Akeno, as well as two new faces.

One was the same young man that was present during Shin's spar against the kendo girl, while the second was a petite young girl with white hair. She was quite short in stature, wearing the Kuoh girls' uniform, as well as having a black cat hairpin in her hair.

"...I can't feel anyone inside" the little girl spoke in a monotone voice, as Rias furrowed her eyebrows.

"Me either...A barrier…?" Rias mumbled, before resuming her serious demeanor. "But first we have to find Kurokawa-kun." she then pushed the doors open. However as she did, she also released a sudden burst of freezing air, which hit them all in the face.

[-!] then, all four opened their eyes wide, upon witnessing the frozen warehouse.

"What..." Akeno began.

"Is this…?" only for Rias to finish. The young man carefully stepped in, and looked around.

"All of this...is ice" he remarked, studying the solid blocks of ice around the room, before venturing to check the rest of the building.

"Ice...but where's the Stray?" the small girl asked, looking at the violet ice with curiosity. Stepping inside as well, Akeno opened her eyes wide.

"I...think I found it" she said, pointing forward. The two followed her line of sight, also noticing the giant block of ice, that used to be a horrible monster not even five minutes ago.

"That's the Stray?" Rias wondered, stepping closer. She then furrowed her eyebrows. "I...I can't feel anything from it" she then turned to the young girl. "Koneko?"

Said girl seemed to concentrate a bit, before frowning lightly.

"I...don't feel anything...No life whatsoever… just a block of ice" she stated, looking at the giant ice sculpture. Rias seemed to furrow her eyebrows even further.

"Someone must've done this..." she looked around, searching for any possible clues. But then, she remembered something. "Wait, where's Kurokawa-kun?"

"We're the only ones here Buchou" the young man stated, walking back to the group. "I've just checked the warehouse, and there's no one else."

"M-Maybe Shin-kun didn't encounter the Stray after all?" Akeno guessed, hopeful that was actually the case.

Rias seemed to focus a bit, before her eyes opened in surprise. She then glanced back outside the warehouse.

"He's...down the street" she said confused, as the other three sensed it as well. "But, he was just here wasn't he? You all felt it as well, right?" she asked, receiving nods from her peerage.

"Maybe Senpai just, wandered through, without actually going in here" the short girl said, followed by Akeno.

"And since we were right behind him, the stray didn't want to attack him outright?"

"Hmm, that is certainly a possibility" Rias mused, as their male companion raised his hand.

"Now that we know Kurokawa-san in alright, what do we do with this Buchou?" the young man asked, referring to the mass of ice, as well as the sculpture. Rias walked closer to the ice sculpture, beginning to inspect it.

"This is definitely not regular ice" she noted, seeing her reflection was barely visible. "It's magic, that's for sure. What I'm not sure about, is just what kind of magic ice it is. There's something...eerie about it." she lightly touched the surface of the ice, immediately sensing a cold shiver run down her spine.

"Maybe we should call someone with expertise in ice magic?" the young man suggested, as Rias stepped away from the ice sculpture.

"Who do you suggest Yuuto?" Rias asked him, as he put a hand to his chin.

"Aren't Grayfia-san and Serafall-sama both adept ice magic users? We could call them to get confirmation."

Rias seemed to think for a while, before giving a nod. She then produced a little glowing red circle in the palm of her hand, and stepped a little further away from her companions.

* * *

While she was doing that, Yuuto noticed Akeno looking at the ice covering the walls with curiosity.

"Did you find something interesting Fuku-Buchou?" he asked. Akeno shook her head, before a little flame lit up at the tip of her finger.

"No, I was just wondering something" she answered, bringing the flame close to the ice. Curious, both Yuuto and Koneko stepped closer, observing as the flame kept burning right next to the ice.

However, the ice seemed unfazed by the scorching heat placed right next to it. They waited for a little while longer, with Akeno even increasing the intensity and size of the flame, to no avail.

Until something unexpected happened.

 ***crackk***

"Kya?!" Akeno squeaked in surprise, as her flame suddenly turned into a solid chunk of violet ice. It happened almost immediately, startling Akeno in the process, causing her to jump back a bit.

"What happened?" Rias called from a little further away, having heard Akeno's shriek of surprise. She then walked over.

"Akeno-senpai, was trying to see if the ice melts" Koneko explained, in her monotone voice. Rias looked at Akeno curiously, who picked up the piece of ice that was a burning flame just a second ago.

"Did it work?" Rias asked, Akeno presenting her the piece of ice.

"I'd say it did, if it wasn't my own fire magic that froze over" she stated, handing Rias the frozen flame. "How did the call go?"

"Fortunately, both of them were available, so they should arrive shortly" Rias replied, studying the piece of ice with curiosity.

Before any further observation could me made however, the piece of ice suddenly cracked, before exploding into tiny little particles, which then disappeared into thin air.

"...That was cool" Koneko mumbled with a straight face.

"Maybe it disperses after it detaches from the original source?" Akeno wondered, placing a finger to her lip. Koneko wordlessly walked over to one of the frozen shelves, before grabbing a good piece of it, attempting to rip it off.

"Nnghh...What?" however, to everyone's surprise, Koneko was unable to rip off a piece of the ice. In fact, she ended up lifting the whole self instead.

"Just what is this ice?" Rias was baffled. From what she saw, this ice magic was something else entirely. It was capable of turning a Stray devil with High-class power into solid ice, was able to freeze fire solid, and was generally extremely resistant.

Koneko then tried smashing the shelf against the ground, only making her own arm vibrate from the impact.

The ice just wouldn't give.

"...Nothing." was the girls short and deadpan answer, before she tossed the shelf against the frozen wall, yet again leaving no visible mark.

"Let's try something else." Rias stepped forward, a blob of magic gathering in her palm. She then threw it toward one of the walls that were covered in ice.

 **DOONN**

The blob collided with the wall and exploded right after. As the smoke cleared however, it revealed a little bit of the wall, signaling that the attack managed to destroy **some** of the ice.

"Even the Power of Destruction did minimal damage?" Rias asked herself.

* * *

Just then, a crimson magic circle appeared on the ground, getting the group's attention. The circle glowed brightly, before two figures appeared, the circle disappearing soon after.

The first person was, of course, the Magical Girl Sera-tan. Also know by her actual name of Serafall Leviathan, formerly Sitri.

Next to her, stood a beautiful woman appearing to be in her early twenties. She had silver eyes and hair, which was styled in twin braids that flowed all the way down her back. She also had two long braids on each side of her face, tied together with a little blue bow at the end.

Interesting enough, the woman was wearing a blue and white French maid outfit with long sleeves and a white maid headband over her head. She also wore red lipstick.

"Ah, Serafall-sama and Grayfia. You're here already" Rias greeted, nodding her head, while the other three bowed. Serafall waved excitedly, while Grayfia bowed her head as greeting.

"Yup, yup! We came as soon as we could~" she said, bouncing over to the group. "So, what's the problem, Rias-chaa-" she then noticed the state of the warehouse, as well as the ice demon sculpture a little further away. "-ooh, wow. You weren't kidding, Rias-chan."

"I take it this is the Stray devil you were ordered to eliminate?" Grayfia asked, stepping closer to the ice statue.

"It **was** " Rias nodded her head, drawing a curious glance from the maid. "It was like this when we arrived, but we couldn't sense any sort of energy from it. Koneko confirmed it has no vital whatsoever" she said, making Grayfia look at the short girl.

"It's just a block of ice. Definitely." she confirmed. Grayfia raised an eyebrow, before Serafall spoke up, currently inspecting the ice.

"They're right Grayfia-chan. This used to be alive" she said, stepping away from the statue.

"But how did it turn into solid ice?" Akeno asked confused, as Serafall giggled.

"Of course you kiddies wouldn't know~ This kind of magic has been lost for a while now. In fact, the last time I saw this kind of ice, was during the war" at that, the student's eyes opened wide in surprise. Grayfia herself opened her eyes in recognition.

"During the war? Serafall-sama, do you mean this magic is-"

"Mhmm~" Serafall nodded her head right away. "This is definitely Devil Slayer magic~"

"Devil...Slayer?" Rias repeated confused. "I've never heard of this kind of magic before."

"Well, duh~ I just said it was last used during the war" Serafall replied, turning toward Grayfia. "Grayfia-chan, do you mind explaining while I inspect Stray-chan over here a little further~?" she smiled childishly.

"Very well." said woman nodded her head, before turning to the group. "Devil Slayer magic is a type of magic that is imbued with attributes us Devils are weak to. It acts in a similar way to Light and Holy magic, but is instead based around the element the user masters. In this case, it is Ice Devil Slayer magic. That is how the stray was turned into a block of ice" the silver haired beauty explained, with the four students listening intently.

"It was originally used during the Great War by humans who had allied themselves with the Angels. Unlike Light magic, Devil Slayer magic is proportionate to the amount of power the user holds."

"So basically, you can survive unscathed as long as you're stronger than the user, correct?" Rias asked, receiving a nod from Grayfia. Then, Serafall appeared from behind the statue.

"Ah ah ah~" the childish Maou wagged her finger. "Devil Slayer magic is actually more dangerous than Light and Holy magic, due to it's wide spread attributes."

"Attributes? As in, the traits of this magic?" Akeno questioned, receiving a nod from the Magical girl.

"Yes, yes! You see, Devil Slayer magic can sometimes spread on it's own. So, even if you have a simple scratch, if a fragment of the element remains on you, it can expand and hurt you even further~" Serafall explained, as Akeno's eyes widened in recognition.

"So that's why my flame froze earlier" she noted, drawing a curious glance from Grayfia.

"Your flame?" she questioned, earning a nod from Akeno.

"Yes, you see, I wanted to test how durable this ice was earlier, and used some fire magic to see how long it'll take to melt. But after a while, my own flame froze while the ice was completely fine."

"Hehe, you'll find this sort of ice will only disappear under special conditions~" Serafall said, bouncing back to the group and next to Grayfia. "First, obviously, the user themselves undo the magic, or alternatively, someone else that's an adept magic user can change the attributes and melt the ice~"

"But, we don't actually know who did this" Koneko noted, as Yuuto raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I may have a suspicion" he said, making his peers realize who he meant. "After all, Kurokawa-kun was the only one we felt pass through this area."

"Shi-chan?" Serafall questioned, hearing the familiar name. She then glowed with happiness. "Ohh, if Shi-chan really is a Devil Slayer than I must have him in my peerage! We would rule the Rating Games!" she exclaimed proudly, before deflating. "Even though as a Maou I'm not permitted to compete regardless..." she sighed while shrugging her shoulders.

"Rias-sama, is this 'Kurokawa-sama' the one Serafall-sama wishes to add to her peerage?" the busty maid questioned, receiving a nod from Rias.

"He is. From what I was able to sense, there's something special inside him" she said, making Grayfia lift up her eyebrow.

"'Special', like the boy you yourself want to add to your peerage?" she asked, as Rias nodded once more. But then, Serafall bounced back into the conversation.

"Oh, there's definitely something even more special in Shi-chan~" she sang, twirling her staff around. "I could feel it! There's something very powerful lying dormant in Shi-chan! It may very well be up there with the strongest of Longinuses!" she declared, shocking the young Devils, while Grayfia seemed mildly surprised, at best.

"Longinus class? To think Kurokawa-kun would have something like that inside him..." Rias mumbled, as a pondering expression appeared on her face. Serafall saw this, and pouted.

"Rias-chan, I know that look! You're thinking of making Shi-chan into your own servant, aren't you?" she questioned sternly, making Rias take a step back.

"N-No, of course not! H-He's all yours Serafall-sama" she quickly backed down, while a small bead of sweat rolled down her face.

"That's right! Shi-chan is mine!" the loli Maou declared while crossing her arms over her generous bust.

"Rias-sama, Serafall-sama, please don't talk about this boy like he's an object at an auction. He is still human, and the decision of turning to Devilhood ultimately falls unto him" Grayfia spoke her mind on the matter, telling the two Devils off in her own way.

"Yeah I get it Grayfia-chan~" Serafall said with a bright smile, though Grayfia shook her head as she knew Serafall would still act on impulse regardless.

And with a short sigh, Grayfia turned to Rias and her peerage.

"I think you and your peerage should return now, Rias-sama" she told the group.

"But what about this?" Rias wondered, referring to the ice covered warehouse. Serafall waved her off.

"Psshh, don't worry about that~ Grayfia-chan and I can deal with this just fine~" she smiled, making a shoo gesture with her hands. "Now run along, you still have some devil duties to do or whatever~"

"Are you sure-" Rias began, only to be cut by Serafall herself.

"I said run along!" she ordered, making the group quickly bow their head, before another crimson circle appeared under their feet, the students disappearing soon after.

* * *

Left alone, Grayfia looked at Serafall blankly, while the magical girl herself was smiling happily.

"Oki doki, let's get rid of all this ice Grayfia-chan~" Serafall sang, bouncing over to the statue.

She then placed her hand on the ice, as a light blue aura enveloped her.

 **CRACK**

And almost immediately, the statue cracked, before completely shattering, chunks of ice falling down on the ground, dispersing soon after.

"Alrighty, your turn Grayfia-chan~" she smiled toward the silver haired maid, who released a breath.

She then bent down, and touched the ice covering the floor. Similarly to Serafall, she became enveloped in a silver aura, before a gust of wind blew through the warehouse. Then, the violet ice slowly began changing color, starting from Grayfia's hand, until all of the ice turned from it's violet color, into the normal transparent light blue.

And then, the ice cracked, before shattering completely, returning the warehouse to it's previous, ice-less state.

"It's a good thing we're both such cool and powerful ice magic users, huh Grayfia-chan~? But still, whoever did this is quite strong too, don't you think?" Serafall wondered, as the two women stepped out of warehouse.

Grayfia remained silent, seemingly thinking of something while closing the doors. This made Serafall raise an eyebrow, her head tilting to the side.

"Grayfia-chan? Everything alright?" she asked.

"Now I remember..." the silverette mumbled, looking back at Serafall, who still looked clueless. "I've seen that ice before."

"Wait you did?" Serafall opened her eyes wide in surprise, as Grayfia bobbed her head.

"It was quite a few years ago. I was sent to Europe to deal with a Stray that had been hiding inside an abandoned village" she said, as a lightbulb went off above Serafall's head.

"Oh, I remember that! Sirzechs-chan sent you because he was stuck inside some boring meeting with the geezers~" she sang in a laid back tone. Grayfia turned to the magical girl, raising an eyebrow.

"You were stuck in there as well" she noted, before Serafall stuck her tongue out cutely.

"I managed to get out of it~" she placed her arms on her hips proudly. "Sirzechs-chan still envies me for it~"

"...Right" Grayfia deadpanned, a little sweatdrop on her face.

"Anyway~ Return to your story Grayfia-chan. It's intriguing~" Serafall said.

"Well, when I arrived at said village, I found it encased in the same violet ice we've just disposed of. And when I looked around the village, I only found an ice statue of the Stray I was supposed to get rid of" she explained.

"Hmmm~" Serafall put a finger to her lip, turning to Grayfia. "I say it's safe to assume whoever did that, did this as well?"

"I'm almost positive. However, that does raise a red flag" the silverette said, making Serafall tilt her head to the side.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"If the boy you wish to add to your peerage did indeed do this, then we may very well have an Exorcist on our hands" she stated, making Magical girl Sera open her eyes in surprise.

"Oh you're right! Hmm...it looks like I'll have to do some research on Shi-chan's background, huh~?" she smiled, turning to her fellow Devil. "Do you want to join me Grayfia-chan?"

The busty silverette was silent for a few moments, simply looking stoically at the Maou. She then sighed.

"If I find the time between my duties, then fine, I shall join you. To be perfectly honest, this boy has gotten me intrigued. For someone like yourself to acknowledge his potential...well it's rather intriguing."

"Hehe, I get what you mean Grayfia-chan~" Serafall giggled happily, before putting a finger to her lips. "Say, what if Shi-chan takes up my Queen piece? Would you do me a biggie and help train him to become my cutest Queen~?" she asked cutely, engaging her puppy eyed expression.

It didn't affect Grayfia however, since she was also a woman like Serafall. She did however, nod her head slightly.

"If that is the case, then I will do my best to help him fulfill his role properly" she said, causing Serafall to jump up in happiness.

"Yaay~ Thanks a bunch Grayfia-chan~ Now, let's head back before the old geezers chew me out for skipping on my duties~" she said, making Grayfia look at her questioningly.

"You've skipped out on your duties again?" she asked sternly, as Serafall quickly waved her wand around and made a magic circle appear under the two, before teleporting them away.

* * *

 **Quite a while earlier…**

"Phew..." Shin breathed out, walking down the street again, having put quite a distance between him and the abandoned warehouse.

"Hmm, I didn't have time to dispose of the Stray" he mumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Then again, they must've sensed me in there, so that would've just pointed even more arrows at me. They probably already suspect I'm the one who did that. Dammit, why couldn't they have arrived earlier and spare me the trouble..." he grumbled.

"Nee-sama, c'mon hurry up! All my friends are at the park already!" a young boy's voice snapped him out of his musing.

Looking up, he saw a boy around the age 10 running past him with excitement pretty much radiating off of him.

"Ken, don't run so fast! I can barely keep up!" the raven haired teen then heard an older voice call from in front of him, only to see young woman run after the little boy, though she already looked exhausted.

Stopping for a moment, Shin glanced back at the siblings and for a moment, as a look of pain and regret appeared in his eyes.

' _I miss those days...'_ he mumbled in his mind, turning to walk back on his lone path, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes. _'They say time heals all wounds...but a scar on the heart never heals...'_

With that thought in mind, Shin kept walking the lone streets of Kuoh, the occasional car passing by. But as he walked, he came across an interesting sight.

"Woof woof!"

"Nyaa~ ***hiss*** "

.

.

"Eh?" Shin titled his head in confusion.

* * *

Before him, was a medium sized gray husky, barking away at a tree. However, in that tree was a small black kitten, crouching on one of the branches, hissing at the dog. While the dog was waving it's tail happily, the cat seemed less than thrilled by the current situation.

' _Seriously…?'_ Shin sweatdropped, as the two animals kept the stereotypical scenario going. Shaking his head, he placed his groceries on the ground, put his index finger and thumb between his lips, and whistled loudly, getting the dogs attention.

Shin walked over, and stopped next to the dog, the two looking at each other without moving. Curiously enough, the dog had bright blue eyes, very similar to Shin's fluorescent ones. And that made Shin raise an eyebrow, looking at the dog suspiciously.

" _*mlem*"_

...That suspicion was immediately blown away, as the dog licked it's snout cutely, never breaking eye contact. In addition to it, the noise that came out of it made Shin's lips tug upward.

The boy leaned down at the dogs level, with the animal mimicking his actions and sitting down. He leaned in a bit, studying the dog as hard as he could, his eyes narrowing a bit.

 ***boop***

In response, the dog raised it's paw, and booped Shin on the nose, making him immediately stand back up.

"Alright, you're definitely a dog" he stated, as the dog tilted it's head to the side, only strengthening Shin's deduction. The boy then turned toward the tree, looking up at the cat stuck on the branch.

"Unless you like that branch, I'd suggest you jump down" he said, extending his arms to the side.

"Nyaa~?" the cat mimicked the dog of all things, and tilted it's head to the side.

Sighing, Shin went over to the tree, before he raised his foot.

 **BANG**

"NyaAa?!"

After he raised his foot, he planted it firmly into the tree, causing it to shake violently. That made the cat suddenly slip form the branch, falling right toward the ground.

 ***plop***

At least, that's where it was supposed to land. Somehow, the cat ended up falling right on top of Shin's head, his hair somehow acting as a soft pillow that broke the landing.

"Nya~?" the cat meowed cutely, looking at Shin, while Shin looked back.

"...How?" he asked himself shortly. The cat looked at him for a while, before raising it's little paw.

 ***boop***

The cat then booped Shin on the nose as well, making a sweatdrop appear on his face.

"You two in cahoots or somethin'?" he turned back to the dog, eyebrow raised. But the dog kept sitting in place, being a dog. Sighing, he grabbed the cat, and brought it before him.

He then checked around it's neck, looking for a possible collar. He found none. He did notice that it was a female cat though.

Going over to the dog, he repeated the process, coming to the conclusion that both animals were stray. Placing the cat on top of the dog, the two apparently not having any problem with each other anymore, his face turned sympathetic.

"So you two are strays huh? All alone in the world..." he mumbled, before a small smile appeared on his face.

Taking a step back, he picked up his groceries, and turned back to the two animals.

"Well, since you have nowhere to go, I'll gladly take you in" he said, extending his hand.

"Nyaa~" the cat booped the dog while meowing, the two seemingly communicating. The dog then raised itself back up and walked over, sniffing Shin's hand. And it didn't take long, until it began nuzzling his hand, as the cat hopped over his arm, curling up on his shoulder.

Taking his hand away, the dog now standing next to his feet, Shin began scratching the cat behind the ear, earning a satisfied purr from her.

' _Well, with these two, the house will definitely get a lot more livelier...'_ Shin thought, a little smile making it's way onto his face.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap~**

 **Not too much happened this chapter. Just a little more character introduction/ slight development/ whatever you wish to see it as. Merely a little filler until things start for real next chapter.**

 **Harems:**

 **Shin's: Serafall, Kuroka, Gabriel, Akeno, WIP**

 **Issei's: Rias, Asia, WIP.**

 **So far, that's how it looks~**

 **And I think that was it for my little ramblings~**

 **As always, leave a review, tell me what you thought of the chapter, suggest new girls, all of that good stuff~**

 **Bye~**

 **Edit: 01.10.18 – Edited some of the dialogue and removed the increasingly annoying '~' at the end of the characters speech. As a reviewer once pointed out, it was used in excessive amounts and was annoying, so now I've gone through the whole thing (or the majority at least) and only left it during Serafall's dialogues, since it fits best with her character.**

 **-Also added some more dialogue, sort of in-between filler, so the key dialogues make more sense.**

 **-Added an extra scene that hints at some things from Shin's past, as well as some things from the future~**

 **And that's about it for this edit. The chapter should need no further editing now. The first and third chapter will also be reviewed and edited in the upcoming future.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Crows are bad omens

"And people say having pets is different from having kids? I disagree..." Shin sighed, plopping on the couch exhausted.

"Nyaa~?" he heard a curious meow, before his feline companion appeared on his shoulder, rubbing her face against his. With a tiny smile, Shin began scratching behind her ear, earning a soft purr from the cat.

"What's up Kurome? You hungry again?" he asked amused. The cat meowed again, nuzzling against his hand, making Shin chuckle. "If I were to describe you in five words, it would sound something along the lines of: 'Sleep, eat, rinse and repeat'~" Shin laughed, placing the newly named Kurome on the couch beside him. He then stood up, heading for the kitchen "Anyway, let's go put some more food in that black hole in your stom-aACK?!"

 ***THUD***

...If only the second animal resident wasn't sleeping right on his feet, causing him to trip and fall face-first on the wooden floor. The impact caused even Kurome to cringe, whereas the husky simply raised her head startled, tilting it to the side upon noticing Shin on the floor.

"What did I say about sleeping on my feet, Sayaka?" Shin spoke annoyed, although muffled since his face was still in the floor.

Sayaka's simple answer was to raise her body, inch a little further away, before plopping right back down.

"...She just relocated didn't she?" he asked blankly.

"Nya~" Kurome's affirmative meow came as a response, followed by a muffled sigh from Shin.

"I rest my case about babies and pets...If only I knew this two days ago..."

Two days ago, referring to when Shin first brought the two animals in his house. And since then, Shin's life has been extra busy.

After bringing them home, the first thing Shin noticed was that they needed a bath. Sayaka more than Kurome, but Shin's nose was burning nonetheless.

Thus, the majority of that evening was occupied by grueling task of bathing an energetic, medium-sized husky, and a really nimble black cat, who wanted to have anything but a bath. Although the bath did prove to be worth the effort, as it helped him decide on their current names.

He named the cat Kurome, based on her shiny black fur and the flower fragrance she had after the bath.

Sayaka however, was slightly different. Shin was originally going to name her Hokomi, due to her coat being a dusty gray. However, during her bath, Shin discovered that her fur was actually snow white, and it only looked gray because of the actual dust and dirt that gathered on her. And so, after he finished cleaning Sayaka, he gave her the name in accordance with the color of her fur.

After the bathing mission was completed, he noticed he didn't have any actual animal oriented food, so he decided to make to make a list for what he needed to do the next day. A day which was even more taxing than the previous.

First thing on that list, was to report the two animals to the local authorities, in case they did belong to someone and went missing. He did that as soon as the sun was up.

After a couple hours of searching for a potential owner, it turned out both animals were indeed stray, so Shin went to the second thing on his to-do list. Getting legal ownership over the two.

So after another hours or so boring legal stuff, Shin and his two new friends were finally allowed to go. Next up was getting them a collar, because laws. So he ended up getting a light blue collar for the husky, and a little red ribbon with a golden bell for the cat.

Once that was all done, he made his way to the shopping district once again, and spent a few hours, and savings, on buying all sorts of things necessary for pets. Mostly food for Kurome and toys for Sayaka, as well as beds for the two.

That's how Shin spend around a day and a half. And he spent the rest of yesterday getting everything set up back home. And today, on a sunny Sunday midday, he could finally have some time to relax

"Right after I take Sayaka out for a walk" Shin mumbled, after getting Kurome her food, which she was eating quite happily. Going back in the living room, he gave a short whistle, making the white husky's head spring right up.

"Up for a little walk Sayaka?" Shin smiled, as the dog sat right up, bouncing over to the boy as soon as she heard 'walk'. Chuckling, he glanced back at the black cat in the kitchen. "Hold down the fort while we're gone, alright Kurome?"

"Nyyaa~" Kurome meowed while nodding her head. Nodding his own head, Shin left the living room.

In the hallway, Shin grabbed Sayaka's leash off the coat hanger, and attached it to the dog's collar.

"Alright then, off we go."

"*woof*-!" Sayaka barked, immediately bouncing outside, her tail wagging excitedly behind her.

A while later, Shin somehow found himself walking Sayaka through the shopping district. How he ended up from the park to the shopping district, wasn't all that clear even to him.

"Ah well, at least I'm passing the time" Shin noted, currently being dragged from one spot to another by his curious pup. It would've been all well and good, if she didn't sniff people's bags as well, forcing Shin to apologize everytime. However, Sayaka suddenly perked up, glancing at two girls that were just minding their own business.

"Oh no not again…I'm very sorry-!" Shin couldn't even properly finish his last apology, before finding himself dragged by his dog.

She immediately began sniffing the girls, causing them to shriek in surprise, making Shin's sweatdrop grow even bigger. Deciding it was about enough, he planted his foot firmly in the ground, and literally dragged Sayaka back to him.

"Enough is enough! You planning on sniffing the entirety of the japanese population?!" he reprimanded, making Sayaka hang her head low as her ears drooped. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head, looking back at the two girls. "I'm sorry for her, she's still curious about the world...Eh?"

To his utter surprise, the two girls he was currently apologizing to, were none other than Rias and Akeno, both looking just as surprised as Shin.

The three kept staring at each other without uttering a word, an awkward silence befalling them. Until Rias coughed in her hand.

"A-Ahem...Uh, what a surprise to see you here, Kurokawa-kun~" she greeted, as a smile formed on her face. A smile that soon appeared on both Shin's and Akeno's features.

"Y-Yeah...A surprise indeed~" he chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Unexpected surprise at that, but I don't really mind~"

"Well, surprises are usually pleasant~" Akeno replied, before glancing at the white husky next to Shin. "But who is this cutie~?" she cooed, bending down to Sayaka's level.

"This is Sayaka. I found her on the streets Friday evening" he said, as Sayaka cautiously sniffed Akeno's hand, giving the two girls a little stare, before allowing Akeno to pet her. "Actually, I found a little after I saw you off, Akeno-san" he noted, making Rias raise an eyebrow softly.

"Speaking of" the redhead began, getting Shin's attention. "Did you encounter anything...out of the ordinary that evening?" she asked, making Shin put on a thinking expression.

"Well now that you mention it...I thought I heard a kid crying somewhere in the forest that evening" he mumbled, making the girls open their eyes a little wider. "I went to look and found this old warehouse in the forest, whose purpose I still don't know to this day. And when I went to look inside, I found nothing. So I just assumed it was the wind and left~" he grinned, making Akeno and Rias release a little breathe of relief. "But I did get this feeling as if something was watching me inside the warehouse...Could've just been paranoia though~"

Whereas Shin said everything in a lighthearted manner, thinking of it as nothing more than his brain playing tricks on him, Akeno and Rias took everything seriously. The reason is because they were there, and saw what Shin actually did in that warehouse. Fortunately for him, they still didn't know he was the culprit.

Akeno stood back up, her and Rias exchanging looks, making both Shin and Sayaka tilt their heads to the side. A second of exchanging looks later, both girls nodded their heads, and looked at Shin.

"Kurokawa-kun, there's something important you need to know" Rias said, making Shin glance at her curiously. "Please come to the old school building tomorrow after school. We'll be waiting." and with that, she promptly walked past Shin, bowing her head slightly as she did. Confused, Shin looked at Akeno, who had an awkward smile on her face.

"Sorry Shin-kun, but this just isn't something we can say out in the open. Please understand" Akeno apologized, also walking past Shin, but not before before leaning into his ear once more. "Be careful out there, Shin-kun. It's not as safe as you think." and with that, she was gone too, both girls soon disappearing from Shin's view.

Left alone and confused, Shin glance down at Sayaka, who in turn looked up at him.

"That was...confusing to say the least" he sweatdropped, before shaking his head. "Seriously, anyone else would think their lives are in danger...Oh wait" he mumbled, his face suddenly lighting up in recognition. Then, he chuckled.

"Well at least it spares me the trouble of explaining things~" he grinned, before glancing back at his husky. "Anyway, how about we head back home? What do you say, Sayaka?"

"*woof*-!" she immediately barked in agreement, her tail wagging happily behind her as the two began on their way back home.

A while later, Shin found himself back in his living room, dressed in a plain black shirt and gray jeans, sleeping on the couch. And not just him.

Kurome, being a cat, was just doing her daily activity, purring away on Shin's chest, busy in dream land. And Sayaka was sleeping right next to Shin, thanks to the couch being in the shape of a 'U'.

Of course, that peace was interrupted when Shin's personal phone suddenly rang, waking him up with a startle.

"A job…?" Shin mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Glancing at the coffee table next to him, he grabbed his phone and put it to his ear, automatically answering the call.

"What?" he answered blankly, due to him still being a little sleepy. Almost immediately, the excited voice of a young girl replied.

" **Shi-chaaaann~!"**...more like half-yelled, making Shin quickly take the phone away form his ear. Once she was done, he placed it back.

"First off: Ow. My ears" Shin deadpanned, hearing a sheepish giggle on the other side. "Now, what has gotten you so riled up?"

" **It's gotten boring here, Shi-chan!"** the girl exclaimed, making Shin raise an eyebrow. **"Don't get me wrong, I love playing with Ku-chan, but it's a lot more fun when you're around~"** she explained, making Shin's face immediately turn blank.

"You two don't have anyone to prank anymore, right?" he deadpanned knowingly.

" **Yeah, you're right~"** the young girl admitted right away, making Shin sweatdrop. Shaking his head, Shin sighed a little.

"And what would you like me to do? Just teleport back to Kyoto so I can some flour balloon hurled at my face as soon as I come through the door?" he asked rhetorically, only for the girl to confirm it with an enthusiastic 'Mhm!', making his sweatdrop increase in size. "...Why would I do that?"

" **Because you love us and want us to be happy~ So please make us happy and let us cover you in that white stuff~!"** Shin immediately opened his eyes wide, looking at the screen of his phone weirdly.

"Ok...That was wrong on so many levels, first off" he began, placing the phone back to his ear. "And I'm not gonna let you two little demons just prank me like that! My eyebrows just grew back from the last time and I'm not loosing them again!" he exclaimed, a bad memory flashing in his mind.

" **Oh come one Shi-chan! How were we supposed to know that was hair removal cream and not regular whipped cream?"** the girl argued, however Shin was ready.

"...You two built a giant foam hand that was rigged to snap back and slap me as soon as I stepped through one of the doors" he deadpanned, almost seeing the sweatdrop on the girls face. "You're telling me you built that, but couldn't properly read the label of that bottle?"

" **Okay, maybe letting Ku-chan prepare the slapping cream wasn't the *best* idea...but at least they grew back! I'll have you know that most people don't have their eyebrows grow back, ever!"** she stated proudly, thinking she said something good.

"Wow, I feel so special..." Shin replied in the driest tone he could muster. He then shook his head. "Anyway, the answer is still no. I'm not letting you prank me again" he deadpanned.

" **Mouu, you're so mean!"** the girl exclaimed, making Shin chuckle.

"Oh would you look at the time, I need to take Sayaka out for a walk again." he came up with a quick excuse, after glancing at the clock.

" **Sayaka? Who's that?"** the girl wondered, before gasping loudly. **"And you're taking her for a walk?! What are you doing to that poor girl!"**

"...She's a dog." came Shin's blank answer, making the girl gasp even louder.

" **You even consider her a dog?! How degrading! I didn't know you were into such cruel and misogynistic things!"** she exclaimed, making Shin sweatdrop even further.

"No, she's a literal dog. A white husky I found on the street two days ago" he explained, hearing an enlightened 'Ohhhh' from the girl. And then he opened his eyes wide. "And how come your first reaction is to jump to those conclusions?! I don't recall ever taking pleasure in someone else's misery, nor ridiculing women!"

" **E-Ehehe...Sorry about that~"** the girl apologized awkwardly, before trying to explain herself. **"But, you can't deny that you were pretty...very ruthless back in the day~"**

"I...can't deny that" Shin admitted, closing his eyes. "But that was nothing more than a sense of justice twisted by the desire of revenge. I buried that away long ago."

" **And that's why I love you so much Shi-chan~"** the girl practically beamed, Shin immediately getting a blank face again. **"So with that said can we-"**

"No." was his instant deny, making the girl sigh in defeat.

" **Fiiineee..."** she replied deflating. **"Say, how long until I can move in with you? I'm genuinely getting a little bored here. I want to meet some new people and make friends~!"**

"I know you do, but you can't just waltz into a town under devil surveillance. Not until this town becomes a neutral middle-ground. And for that to happen, I need the official document, approved by the guys in Takamagahara" he explained, taking Kurome off his chest and placing her on Sayaka, the cat immediately snuggling in the husky's fur. He then stood up and stretched. "Until I get that document, this town remains under strained relationships."

" **And you're worried my Sacred Gear will set the devils off, I know...I just wish this silly war thing would just end already, y'know?"** the girl mumbled, Shin gaining an understanding expression.

"I know you do. And fortunately, your wish may come true sooner than you think" he said, making the girl perk up. "Azazel was the first one to pull out of the war, and it's highly likely he'll be the first one to finally suggest they make peace. And with a little luck, a treaty will be signed without any hitch."

" **And that means we, the Devil-chan's and Fallen-chan's can finally get along~!"** she cheered, making Shin laugh a bit.

"You're saying that as if it's something otherworldly right now~ The occurrences are uncommon, not rare~" he chuckled, a little smile on his face.

" **Well, that's true~"** the girl giggled, before she remembered something. **"Didn't you say you had to walk your dog?"** and then, Shin's eyes opened wide, upon remembering the fact.

Walking the streets of Kuoh once again, Sayaka by his side, Shin admired the slowly setting sun.

After being reminded of the walk, Shin bid the girl goodbye and ended the call. He then got Sayaka up and ready for the walk, and ventured into the city, this time going for a different route, wanting to check some of the other stores in Kuoh.

"Ohh, I really like that shirt" Shin noted, glancing through the window of a clothing store he happened to pass by, marveling a little over a metal blue dress shirt with black stripes. His eyes then dropped from the shirt down to the price tag, as a little sweatdrop appeared on his face. "5100 Yen…? That's a little much for a shirt isn't it?" he mumbled.

As he was contemplating whether to buy the shirt or not, he heard the door to the store open, before two people walked out. One of the two seemed surprised to see Shin.

"Kurokawa-san?" Shin heard a familiar voice. Turning his head, he saw Issei of all people looking back at his, surprise clear on his face. However, what surprised Shin, was the attractive young woman next to Issei.

She long black hair, flowing down to hips, violet eyes and a slender body. Her attire consisted of a short black dress with a small, light purple jacket on top. However, Shin saw past the facade with ease.

"Ara, Hyoudou-san, what a surprise~" Shin greeted with a smile, not letting his skepticism of the girl shine through. "Have you been well?"

"U-Uh, yeah, I have~ Never better, ehehe~" he chuckled, scratching the back of his head. He then felt the girl next to him pull on his sleeve a little. Looking he was surprised to see her looking at Shin a little cautiously.

"Issei-kun, who is this?" she asked, a hint of concern clear in her voice.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce you two~" he then looked back at Shin. "Kurokawa-san, this is Amano Yuuma-chan. She's actually my girlfriend~" he grinned proudly, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

"Girlfriend? When did that happen?" he asked, looking at the girl curiously, making her even more on edge.

"This Friday actually. And here's the kicker...she actually asked me out!" he exclaimed happily, making a thin smile appear on Shin's face.

"You don't say? Why, that must've taken a whole lot of courage...Yuuma-chan, was it?" he asked, as the girl gave a quick nod of her head. "And this is your first date?" he asked curiously.

"Y-Yeah, it is" Issei answered, blushing a bit. It was then that he noticed the white husky at Shin's feet, staring Yuuma down with it's piercing blue eyes. "T-That's a nice dog you have there Kurokawa-san. Really...beautiful eyes~"

"Why thank you very much~ Her name's Sayaka" Shin smiled, glancing down at Sayaka. "Sayaka, why don't you greet them too?"

The dog stepped forward, going over to Issei first. She began sniffing him up and down, as Issei looked at Shin with a little sweatdrop.

"It's fine Hyoudou-san. She finds you interesting~" Shin chuckled, easing Issei's worries slightly. "Why don't you try and pet her? She won't bite for no good reason~"

Doing as he was told, Issei slowly inched his hand toward Sayaka, who reared her head back a little, making Issei freeze. However, she almost immediately stepped forward again, bringing her head under Issei's palm, letting him pet her.

"Oh wow, her fur is really soft" Issei noted, taking his hand away.

Sayaka then turned to Yuuma, and that's where things started going downhill.

As soon as Sayaka began sniffing her, she reared her ears back, as her tail hung low. She then began circling the girl, constantly sniffing. But then, she suddenly turned to Yuuma, crouching low and releasing a growl, causing the girl to step back.

"Alright Sayaka, calm down" Shin said calmly, as the dog almost immediately stopping, and returning to his side. "Sorry about that Hyoudou-kun~" he apologized sheepishly, before his expression turned serious. "Dogs usually go for squirrels, not crows. Thought they are supposedly bad omens" he said, making a small bead of sweat roll on Yuuma's cheek, while Issei was just confused. "Well, at least that's what I've heard. Have a nice and fun date you two~" he sang, before him and Sayaka entered the clothing store, leaving a confused Issei and Yuuma standing outside.

"U-Uhh...let's just continue our date, okay Yuuma-chan?" Issei turned to his girlfriend, hoping his first ever date wasn't ruined.

"O-Ok, Issei-kun!" Yuuma replied, forming a smile on her face, as the two wondered off in the rest of the shops.

Inside, Shin was currently paying for the new clothes he bought, Sayaka unfortunately having to chill at the entrance.

"Thank you very much~" Shin smiled, as the female cashier handing him a bag containing his clothes. The girl promptly blushed at his smile, and stuttered a quick response, bowing her head. Shin the returned to Sayaka, grabbing her leash and leading her outside.

"The sun is setting already, huh?" Shin noted, as a shade of orange began enveloping the town. He then began heading back, Sayaka trotting right behind him.

"Yuuma, huh?" Shin mumbled, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Nice alias. I was wondering why there were Fallen Angels on the outskirts of town. Must've been keeping track of Issei because of his Sacred Gear...Does Azazel know already?" placing a hand on his chin, Shin's eyes narrowed further. "But why get this close to him? I doubt she actually has any feelings for him. The only one I picked up on was-!" his eyes suddenly opened wide, as realization hit him.

' _Killing intent! She want's to get rid of him AND his sacred gear!'_ Shin then stopped, a frown appearing on his face. He then quickly took Sayaka in a dark alley, away from pedestrians. Once there, Sayaka looked at the boy curiously.

"Sayaka, there's something I need to do, so you're going to have to stay home by yourself" Shin said, bending down to Sayaka's level. He then placed his hand on the head, before a light blue octagon with different symbols outlining it appeared under the dog. "You two wait home until I get back. Don't break anything." and with that, the octagon glowed, before it and Sayaka disappeared from view, leaving Shin alone.

Standing back up, he left the alley and turned in the direction Issei and Yuuma left.

' _Amano Yuuma...Heaven's Evening Daze._ ' eyes narrowing, Shin began running down the street. _'She's planning to kill him when the sun sets. I gotta hurry!'_ and with that last thought, he disappeared through the masses, following Issei and Yuuma's energy signatures.

Fortunately for him, it didn't take long until he ended up inside a park. What was unfortunate, was that Issei energy signature just began fluctuating, signaling he wasn't in the best condition.

' _But at least he's not dead yet'_ Shin thought, moving to Issei's location through the greenery surrounding the path, masking his own energy signature. As he did, he heard two voices.

"Why did you hesitate like that Raynare?! You had specific orders to kill him! Don't tell me you're **actually** falling for this human?" a deep male voice exclaimed, anger clear in his voice.

"Of course I'm not falling for a human Dohnaseek!" Yuuma's voice shouted right after the newly named Dohnaseek. "I wouldn't ever fall for someone like him!"

"Then why did I have to do your job and kill him?" Dohnaseek questioned, leaving Yuuma silent for a bit.

Peeking from behind a tree, Shin saw a middle aged man wearing a trench coat and fedora, standing opposite of Yuuma, poor Issei bleeding out on the ground behind her. Another thing Shin noticed, was that both Dohnaseek and Yuuma had a pair of black feathered wings on their backs.

"You don't get it" Yuuma said, glancing back at Issei. "I don't think even he was aware of it, but he has a dangerous friend. I've been around him for less than five minutes and I felt as if my knees would give out from his presence! He definitely knows about us too, and if he finds out we killed his friend, then I don't know what he'll do to us!" she stated, giving a vain warning, as Issei was already dying.

"Humpf, yeah right!" Dohnaseek scoffed right away, not listening to a word Yuuma said. "Maybe he intimidated a weakling like you, but he doesn't stand a chance against me!" he declared cockily. Shin, having heard his statement, smirked a bit at the challenge.

"Weakling?! I'm the leader of this group for a reason!" Yuuma exclaimed, scowling at Dohnaseek, who scowled right back.

"Keep telling yourself that bitch. There's no way you could win against me!" he said, as a purple spear materialized in his hand. In retaliation, Yuuma created a pink spear in her own hand.

' _Ohh, a bitch fight~'_ Shin grinned, seeing the two apparent accomplices about to stab each other. _'Beneficial for me~ If one of them dies, I can just take out the other without a problem and try and help Issei~ Now let's just be quiet and wait-'_ before he could finish that thought however, a cough was heard, getting everyone's attention.

On the ground, Issei had apparently come back too, trying to get himself back up, failing miserably.

"Y-Yuuma-chan...w-why -*cough* *hack*-!" he barely got out between coughing fits, looking at Yuuma with tears in his eyes.

As he kept violently coughing blood, Dohnaseek sneered again.

"Tch, the human is more resilient than I thought" he growled, making his way past Yuuma, and preparing to stab Issei again, making both her and Shin's eyes widen.

' _Dammit Issei, don't you know keeping your mouth shut is best in these situations?!'_ Shin exclaimed in his mind, as Dohnaseek stabbed Issei with his spear.

 ***SLASH* *shatter***

Or at least that was the plan, had it not been for wave of black flames suddenly emerging from the bushes, slicing the spear, and almost Dohnaseek's hand, making the light weapon shatter immediately.

"What the fuck?!" Dohnaseek shouted in surprise, jumping back at a little wall of flames separated him from Issei.

"Sorry, but that boy is off-limits." a familiar voice called out, making Yuuma open her eyes wide.

And true to the call, Shin stepped out of the bushes, some black cinders coming from his right hand. As he stepped forward, Yuuma stepped back, making Shin smirk.

"What's wrong 'Yuuma'?" he grinned, narrowing his eyes. "You look like you've just seen a ghost~"

"Who the hell are you kid?!" Dohnaseek snarled, preparing another light spear. Shin simply glanced at him, his grin still present.

"Me? I'm the one **Raynare** over there warned you about~" he grinned maliciously, his eyes releasing gleaming streaks once more. "And boy, you should have listened to her~" the boy stated, a certain degree of cockiness apparent in his tone. Something that irked Dohnaseek.

"You should tone down the cockiness kid. A filthy human like you has nothing on a mighty Fallen Angel like me!" he shouted, before lunging at Shin, his spear ready.

Dohnaseek quickly closed the distance, rearing the spear back, before thrusting it forcefully toward Shin.

 ***grab-!***

"-!" Unfortunately for Dohnaseek, Shin simply grabbed his spear and yanked it to the side, exposing Dohnaseek's midsection. The man realized it too, but before he could even let go of his spear, he felt a powerful blow right against his chest, followed by a massive jolt of pain, accompanied by multiple cracks coming from his ribs.

 ***CRASH***

All of that ended with Dohnaseek firmly planted into the remains of a fountain, overcome by massive amounts of pain in his chest, as well as violent fits of coughing blood.

"Dohnaseek!" Raynare exclaimed, shocked at how fast Shin disposed of Dohnaseek. Speaking of.

"I told you~" Shin sang, standing right beside Raynare, causing her to shriek and jump away in surprise. Still smirking, Shin glanced at the groaning Dohnaseek, trying to pull himself out of the fountain.

"By my estimations, your sternum is positively screwed right about now~" Shin said, as Dohnaseek coughed even more blood, glaring daggers at Shin. "Oh hey, looks like your ribs could use some help as well~ That one's definitely going to hurt in the morning...or rest of the week~" he sang, making Dohnaseek grit his teeth.

"D-Damn you...filthy human-!" he snarled, making Shin laugh.

"Ohoho~ Get in line buddy~" he chuckled, before looking at Raynare, pulling out Serafall's pamphlet that he had on him.

"This right here will summon Serafall Leviathan to the scene. I doubt you don't know who that is~" he smirked, as Raynare paled. "Considering that you're currently on devil territory, and her sister's shared territory no less, it's not a question of whether you'll survive or not. It's a question of how long it'll take for her to destroy you and vegetable-in-the-making over there~" he gestured to Dohnaseek with his head, making Raynare start to sweat. However, Shin then put the pamphlet back in his pocket. "But, since I'm nice, I'll give you two a chance to live. Take your associate and leave, while you still can."

Raynare didn't need to be told a second time. She immediately spread her wings, flying over to Dohnaseek. She slung his arm over her shoulder, and flew right off. Even though she hated him, she was afraid leaving him to die would just lead to other repercussions later on.

As the two left, Shin sighed, glancing over at Issei. Snapping his fingers, the flames protecting Issei disappeared, as Shin walked over.

"Dammit Issei..." Shin mumbled, seeing Issei had all but stopped breathing. "I was wondering why he became so quiet all of a sudden" he sweatdropped, inspecting his pulse. _'Faint, but still there. Not much time remains...'_ he then noticed a little something falling out of Issei's pocket. Picking it up, his eyes narrowed.

' _This...is the Gremory crest'_ and then a frown made it's way on his face. _'So she knew this could happen, huh…?'_

 ***FLARE***

Immediately, the pamphlet in his hand burst into black flames, being burnt completely in less than a second.

' _House of Gremory or not, devils will always pursue their own desires'_ Shin scowled a bit, before a crimson circle appeared a distance away.

"So you're the one who called me?" Rias wondered, appearing from the crimson circle. However, as the circle disappeared, her eyes opened wide in surprise.

"Bet you didn't expect me did'ya?" Shin asked blankly, throwing Issei at Rias' feet. "I took the liberty of summoning you, since he's kinda incapacitated at the moment" he said, stuffing his hands in his pocket. "I'll be waiting for you in front of the school."

And with that, he simply walked past Rias, mimicking her own action from earlier that day.

Left alone and confused, Rias took a second to make sense of what just happened. Once she had that done, she looked at the dying Issei, producing eight Pawn pieces in her hand. Then she smiled, bending down.

"Since you're dying, I'll pick your life up. From now on, live for me~"

"She's certainly taking her sweet time..." Shin mumbled, currently leaning against the school gate, waiting for Rias to show up. However, as he thought that a crimson circle appeared in front of him, making him raise his eyebrow. _'Speak of the devil and he shall appear huh…?'_

The circle glowed, before the familiar red head appeared before Shin, her arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

"I think some explaining is in order, Kurokawa-kun" Rias stated, looking at Shin with an intense gaze.

"Ladies first~" Shin smirked lightly. "You tell me what I want to know, and I'll return the favor"

Rias gave him a calculating look, Shin having his smirk all the while. Sighing, Rias gestured for him to follow, as she opened the school's gates and walked forward. Chuckling silently, Shin followed suit, closing the gates behind him.

The two walked kept walking in silence, Shin following what he assumed was Rias' figure. Since the school didn't have any street lights, it was quite hard for him to actually see things. And the worst part just came about, namely the forest behind the school, where Shin could barely see in front of him.

 ***BANG* *-thud***

Case in point, Rias hearing a loud banging sound behind her, followed by Shin falling on the ground.

Glancing behind her, she sweatdropped upon seeing Shin rolling on the grass, holding his nose and shedding little tears.

"Owwiee…!" he exclaimed, making Rias look at him with a deadpan look. Not like the boy could actually see it.

"Really Kurokawa-kun? You can't avoid the trees right in front of you?" she asked, in turn making Shin look up at, what he believed was Rias, with a deadpan look.

"Do I look like I have night vision goggles to you?" he exclaimed, making Rias tilt her head in confusion.

"What do you mean? Can't you see the path?" she asked confused, making Shin's right eye twitch.

"We're in a forest...at night" he stated, hearing no immediate response, meaning Rias was still confused. "I can't actually see in the dark dammit!" he exclaimed, finally making Rias realize that he wasn't actually a devil like herself, making her giggle awkwardly.

"O-Oh yeah...I, forgot about that~" she apologized, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. She then bent down and grabbed Shin's arm, helping him to his feet. "But why don't you just use your phone? It must have some sort of flashlight function, right?" she said, making realization wash over Shin's features.

"Ohh yeah, I completely forgot about that~" he stated, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He then swiped on the screen a few times, switching his incorporated flashlight on, the boy finally being able to see the path he was on. "Okay, now we can continue~" he sang, making Rias sigh a little, before the two began on their original path once again.

Fortunately, they didn't have to walk for too long.

Entering the small clearing in which the old school house was built, Shin could make out most of the building, due to the full moon shining right onto it.

"Always wondered what was in this place" Shin mumbled, as the two stepped inside.

Walking through the dark hallways, using his trusty phone to illuminate his path, Shin checked his surroundings, intrigued. Most intriguing to him, was a locked door he noticed on the second floor, which had multiple 'Keep Out' tapes around the door frame, to prevent people from entering. He raised an eyebrow at the door, but decided to focus on following Rias instead.

Reaching the third floor, the two students arrived in front of two large wooden doors, something Shin's found oddly reminiscent to the Student Council doors.

"Welcome to the Occult Research Club, Kurokawa-kun" Rias said, opening the door and entering, Shin following suit right after.

Entering the room, the first thing Shin noticed was the sheer amount of magic circles scattered throughout, making him sweatdrop.

' _Looks like a murder scene...'_ he thought, glancing around the Victorian-styled room. Two couches in the middle of the room, both standing on opposite sides of a glass table, a few chairs in the corners and finally, a big wooden desk at the other end of the room.

Another thing Shin noticed, was the two people sat on the couches, currently engaged in a game of chess.

On one couch, was a young man with blond hair and gray eyes, wearing the Kuoh male's uniform, while opposite of him sat a petite young girl with short white hair, long bang framing her face, wearing the Kuoh female's uniform. Rias' friends and peerage members, Yuuto and Koneko.

Upon hearing the door, they interrupted the game to look at who entered, only for their eyes to open wide in surprise upon noticing Shin. Both for various reasons.

"Ara, have you already returned Buchou~?" a familiar voice called out of another room, before Akeno herself stepped out, her ever present smile on her face. Of course, her expression was painted with surprise when she saw Shin as well. "S-Shin-kun?" she questioned confused, as Shin grinned and raised a piece sign.

"Yo~" he greeted casually.

"Here you go Shin-kun~" Akeno smiled, placing a cup of tea in front of Shin, who accepted it graciously.

"Thanks a bunch Akeno-san." he raised the cup to his lips, enjoying the fine smell, before taking a sip. "Ahh~" he released a satisfied sigh, slightly sinking into the couch. "If there's one thing I will always give to japanese people, is that they make the best tea. So tasty and relaxing~" he took another sip, an innocent smile appearing on his face. "Perfect for someone like me~"

"I'm glad you enjoy my tea so much Shin-kun~" Akeno sang, taking a seat next to Koneko and Yuuto, who were currently sat on the couch across from Shin's.

"Alright, if you're settled in" Rias began, sat at her desk, fixing Shin with a calculating gaze once again. "Mind answering some of my questions, Kurokawa-kun?" she asked, accentuating his name a little, as if suspicious of it.

"As long as it's within my answering care-meter, then no, I don't mind. So ask away, miss Gremory~" Shin grinned, taking another sip from his tea.

"Then let's start with something basic. Who are you?" Rias asked blankly.

"I'm Shin Kurokawa, I believe we met already~" Shin answered innocently, irking Rias.

"You know that's not what I meant" she stated, narrowing her eyes a little. Chuckling, Shin placed his cup of tea down, leaning into the couch.

"I do" he grinned, glancing at Rias. "But then again, Akeno-san most likely told you the answer to that question~" at that, Akeno and Rias' eyes widened a bit, before the latter's eyes narrowed.

"In that case, is it safe to assume you are an Exorcist?" she said, a tense air floating around the room, with Shin being the only one to apparently ignore it. Evident in his carefree smile. Quite opposed to him, Yuuto began scowling lightly, the word 'exorcist' apparently setting something off within him.

"Let's say I am. How do you say that would affect the conversation~?" he asked curiously, smile not wavering.

"It would affect it, in the sense that an agent of the church trespassed into my territory without prior notice" Rias stated. "I trust you're aware of that?"

"Oh, is that so?" Shin smirked, his own eyes narrowing, as a sudden chill ran down every devils spine. "Then why did you allow Fallen Angels to trespass onto 'your territory'?" he asked, taking Rias by surprise, as well as everyone else present. "For that matter, why did you let them kill an innocent person?" he questioned, grasping his cup for another sip of tea, while Rias hesitated with her answer.

"I didn't allow the Fallen Angels into my territory" she answered. "And I only noticed their presence in the town shortly before you summoned me" she tried to defend.

 ***crack* *shatter*-!**

The four were startled by the sound of something cracking, before violently shattering as pieces of porcelain flew across the room. Looking at the source, the saw Shin's hand encase in a fist, blood pouring out, an oddly calm smile on his face.

"There is one thing I absolutely **despise** , Rias" he began, each of his words seemingly sending a shiver down the devil's spines. "And that is when innocent people are caught up in someone else's conflict. Especially, when it's on purpose" he narrowed his eyes, the air in the room seemingly dropping a few degrees.

"I-I didn't want Hyoudou-kun to-"

"I never said I was talking strictly about Issei" Shin smirked, Rias opening her eyes wide at the slip up. "Trying to bullshit me is pointless, Gremory. You knew full well that Issei was going on a date with a Fallen Angel. That's why you gave him this." in his hand, the Gremory pamphlet materialized from black flames, surprising the three students on the couch, and making a little bead of sweat appear on Rias' face. "You sensed the power inside of him and wanted it for yourself. That's why you saw this as the perfect opportunity to reincarnate him without fail. That's why you pretty much came running to this flyer as soon as it activated, isn't it?"

Rias didn't know how to retort. Shin explained something even she wasn't aware of. Even her friends seemed shocked.

"What's wrong?" Shin questioned, his grin growing even bigger. "Is having your mistakes pointed out such a foreign concept to you, that it leaves you speechless?"

"I..." Rias began, trying her to find the best words for this situation. "I-I did not want Hyoudou-kun to die tonight. You're right, I did know about the Fallen Angel approaching him beforehand, but I could not intervene even if I wanted to" she said, finally getting herself together. "You should know full well how strained the relations between the three Factions is. If I didn't tread carefully, I could've sparked another war, and that would've endangered not only my peerage, but the rest of the Devil Society. Waiting for the Fallen to make their move was the only course of action available."

"Hyoudou-kun dying was simply misfortune. I was planning on telling both of you about us tomorrow, but since his supposed date was today, I had to have some sort of backup plan, if things did eventually go south. Yes, I do wish for strong members for my peerage, like every other High-Class devil, but I would never reincarnate someone completely against their will."

Hearing her answer, made Shin lightly chuckle. And almost immediately, the air in the room returned to it's regular temperature, the shiver the devils were feeling receding as well.

"Pretty poor come back, but it's acceptable" Shin stated, his smirk turning into a simple smile, causing Rias to tilt her head in confusion. "When confronted with a sudden twist of events, especially one that seems to cut off all other possible solutions, it's a common occurrence for people to show their true colors. I simply wanted to get a better image at who you really are deep down" he stated, pointing his finger at Rias in a fashion similar to a gun, before 'firing'. "You let your guard down, Gremory-san~"

Seeing Shin assume his normal demeanor, made Rias release a silent breath. She then smiled lightly, shaking her head.

"You're more cunning than I assumed, Kurokawa-kun" she chuckled a bit. "That's quite unfitting of an Exorcist."

"You're right it is. So it's a good thing I'm not actually an Exorcist anymore~" he grinned, surprising the four devils.

"W-Wait, but you said-" Rias began, only to be cut off by Shin.

"I let you **assume** I was an Exorcist. I never actually confirmed it~" he stuck his tongue out childishly, making everyone sweatdrop as realization hit them. "Well, now that we cleared up most of that tense air from before, how about we start this conversation properly, hm? No Heiress of the Gremory and no former Exorcist. Just five people getting themselves acquainted~"

"Well, sure, why not?" Rias said, finally relaxing a bit, leaning back into her chair. "I just need a short moment. You really took me by surprise there~" she then looked at her friends. "Let's all just properly introduce ourselves to Kurokawa-kun." the tree students nodded, with Akeno being the first to introduce herself.

"Once again, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shin-kun. My name is Akeno Himejima, and I'm a devil under Rias Gremory. I hope we can get along~" she smiled warmly, making Shin return the smile and bow his head slightly. He then glanced at Koneko, who bowed her head shortly.

"Koneko Toujou. Nice to meet Senpai...I'm a devil too." was her short introduction, making Shin chuckled with a small sweatdrop. Nevertheless, he bowed his head as a greeting as well.

However, things seemed a little tense when it came to Yuuto's introduction.

"I'm Yuuto Kiba. It's nice to meet you, Kurokawa-san. I'm also a devil under Rias Gremory." although he had his usual smile on his face, it seemed a little forced. Everyone noticed it, and while shin raised an eyebrow confused, Rias quickly stepped in before he could question it.

"And I'm Rias Gremory, their Master and King. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kurokawa-kun~" she smiled, finishing the introduction. Shin smiled, and nodded his head one last time.

"A pleasure to make all of your acquaintances as well~" he grinned, setting the lighthearted atmosphere in the air.

"By the way Senpai" Koneko spoke, making Shin look at her smiling. Then she pointed down, her expression blank. "Your hand is bleeding all over the rug...it's been going on for a while now" she deadpanned, making her fellow devils glance at Shin's hand, only for their eyes to open wide upon seeing his hand bleeding profusely.

"Oh hey, you're right" Shin remarked, only just now noticing the fact. "Guess that's what happens when you crush a porcelain cup in your hand..." he sweatdropped, looking at his bleeding hand.

"Uhh...Kurokawa-kun, are you alright?" Rias asked uncertain, a little freaked out at how calm Shin was acting, even though his hand was pretty much covered in blood. "That's...an unhealthy amount of blood..." she sweatdropped, Shin using his hurt hand to wave her off.

"Tis' but a scratch" he said in a laid back tone, before his body started sawing a bit. "-Okay, maybe I'm wrong..." as his face paled a bit, he glanced at Rias. "A little help would be much appreciated."

Thus, five minutes were lost on healing Shin's hand, as well as cleaning the shards left on the floor.

"Here you are~" Akeno placed another cup of tea in front of Shin, the boy picking it up with his, now bandaged, hand.

"Thank you very much, Akeno-san~" he took a sip, releasing another satisfied sigh, as Akeno took a seat next to him this time.

"Please don't break that cup as well, Kurokawa-kun. It's an antique set" Rias sighed a little, making Shin turn sheepish.

"I promise, this cup will stay safe~" he chuckled with a little sweatdrop. Rias nodded her head once, placing her hands on her desk.

"Now everything's settled down again, let's continue the discussion, if you will" she suggested, Shin turning his head to look at her, signaling she had his attention. "You said you're currently a freelancer, right? Does that mean you're in a Japan on a job?" she asked, with Shin shaking his head.

"I'm simply going to high-school like any normal teenager my age" he answered, taking another sip of Akeno's delicious tea. "I'm a japanese citizen, so going to high-school is kind of necessary~"

"Okay then" Rias nodded her head. "Are you currently affiliated with any faction?"

"Hmm..." Shin seemed to think for a bit, making Rias raise an eyebrow. "Yes, you could say I'm affiliated with a faction. It's neither of the Three Powers though~" he grinned, making Rias nod her head once more.

"Alright. How long have you been aware of the supernatural?"

"A while." was Shin's simple answer, surprising Rias slightly.

"I-I see...Well that spares me the explanation" Rias smiled, before leaning back in her chair completely. "That was everything I wanted to know for now. Feel free to ask me some question now, Kurokawa-kun~"

"Don't really care to be honest" he said nonchalantly, taking Rias and everyone else by surprise. "If anything, I want to know why I have this" he stated, pulling out Serafall's pamphlet.

"That's..." Rias mumbled, her eyes opening wider than normal. And then realization hit her. "Oh shoot, I forgot about that!"

"Am I missing something?" Shin asked confused, tilting his head to the side.

"I promised Serafall-sama that I'd call her here as soon as you knew about us, because she has a proposition for you" Rias said, quickly getting out of her chair, heading for the other room. Until she was stopped by Shin raising his hand.

"Hold on, I got this" he stated, bringing the pamphlet in front of his face.

Closing his eyes, he channeled some energy into the piece of paper, Serafall's symbol lighting up right away. And a mere second later, a blue magic circle appeared in the room, following by a familiar voice.

"Magical Girl Sera-tan iiiiiiss- here!" the black haired magical girl exclaimed, jumping out of the magic circle and landing in the middle of the room, startling the other devils in the process.

"Who dares touch my cutest future-servant?!" she exclaimed, waving her wand around, ready to attack.

That was, until she noticed the young devils and Shin, looking at her with startled expressions. Then she looked around, realizing she was in the ORC room. Tilting her head confused, she looked back at the people in the room, finally noticing her pamphlet in Shin's hand, her face suddenly lighting up with glee.

"Ohh, you've finally called me!" she exclaimed, enveloping Shin in a sudden bone crushing hug, his face beginning to turn a light shade of blue already. "That must mean you're ready to become part of my peerage! Oh, I can't wait! We're going to have soooo much fun~ We're going to laugh, we're going to have fun, we're going to cuddle every night, we're going to have a threesome with So-tan~" she sang while spinning around the room, making everyone else bar Shin do a double take.

"S-Serafall-sama, Kurokawa-kun doesn't know about that yet" Rias said, causing Serafall to spot spinning, and look at the redhead incredulously. "Also, I'm fairly certain you're suffocating him right now..."

"C-Can't...breathee..!" Shin barely managed to get out, his face turning a shade of purple. Opening her eyes wide, Serafall quickly released her hold on the boy, letting him fall back on his feet, where he began wobbling around confused.

"O-Ohh...T-The wurld'ss...s-spinnin' Mom..." Shin mumbled with swirly eyes, eventually wobbling back onto the couch. Serafall scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"Sorry about that~ I guess I got a little too excited~" she apologized, sticking her tongue out. Shin simply raised a shaky thumbs up.

"I-It's fine...I just need a moment..." he mumbled, finally beginning to get his thoughts back together, as oxygen slowly returned to his brain. A few moments later, Shin shook his head, finally coming back to his senses fully. "O-Okay, I'm good now..."

Almost immediately, Serafall was leaning in his face, little starts visible in her eyes.

"Do you want to become part of my peerage?!" she exclaimed gleefully, making a sweatdrop appear on Shin's face.

"...No." was his blank response, making Serafall look at him incredulously.

"What?! B-But why?" Serafall exclaimed, small tears welling up in her eyes, making Shin's sweatdrop increase in size.

"Sorry but being seen as a 'servant' doesn't sound that appealing to me" Shin said, startled as Serafall latched unto him.

"But not all devils consider their peerage members 'servants'! Rias-chan for example treats them like family~ So-tan and I consider them as family too~! You just have to get used to it and you'll see it's not actually that bad~" she exclaimed, her desire to reincarnate Shin being quite evident.

"Getting used to something automatically makes it seem better than it is" Shin deadpanned immediately. "That's what 'getting used to something' means..."

"B-But...I really want you to become part of my peerage..." Serafall mumbled, pulling out her last trump card.

"P-Pweaseee~?" sticking out her bottom lip, little tears shimmering in her violet eyes, Serafall pulled out the best puppy face she could muster, in an attempt to convince Shin to let her reincarnate him.

The fours students watching, couldn't help but sweatdrop at Serafall's antics. Mostly because they were sure Shin wouldn't fall for her attempts. They just saw first hand how cunning he himself could be. There was no way he would fall for such an old trick.

"I-I...That's.." Shin stuttered, a blush lighting up at his face, making the Rias and her peerage open their eyes wide.

 _[It's actually working?!]_ the four exclaimed in their minds simultaneously, baffled as they saw Shin slowly melt under Serafall's puppy face.

"Pwease Shin-chan~" she said in a childish voice, snaking her arms around Shin's body, pressing her 'assets' against his chest. "Please be my cutest servant~ I would become sad if you refuse~ Do you want me to be sad~?" she spoke in a cute voice, making Shin melt a little more.

"I..." he began with a shaky voice, an internal struggle obviously taking place.

' _One more push~'_ Serafall giggled in her mind, leaning in close to his ear, a shiver going down Shin's spine upon feeling her hot breath.

"If you become part of my peerage, I can help you achieve the one thing you desire most~" she whispered, triggering something like a switch within Shin's mind.

' _What I desire most…?'_ the boy questioned within his own mind. _'Actually...she could prove useful for that...but this will go down **my** way' _smirking within his own mind, Shin sighed out loud, letting his head hang low.

"Fine-!" he replied in an exasperated voice. "If that's what will get you off my case then fine. But do know that I won't do your chores or anything like that. I'll do strictly what my position in your peerage says" he stated, turning his head to the side.

"That's more than enough for me~" Serafall beamed, immediately summoning a set of chess pieces in her hands. "Now, let's see what piece would suit you best Shi-chan~"

"Hold on a second, how do you even know my name?" Shin asked confused, as Serafall pointed at Rias.

"Rias-chan told me the other day~ Besides, it would've been a little pointless if I didn't even know the name of the person I wanted to reincarnate, don't you think~?" she grinned, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

"Do I want to know what else you know?" he asked carefully, to which Serafall pouted.

"I couldn't actually find anything else" she began, before beaming once again. "Which means now I can find out~"

Serafall then stepped forward, as her chess pieces lit up in a blue aura. Then, a blue magic circle appeared under the two, as Serafall's pieces began floating toward Shin.

The pieces began floating around for a minute, before a single piece remained in front of Shin's chest, while the rest returned to Serafall. The piece remaining shocked the spectating students.

"Oh, the queen piece~!" Serafall exclaimed happily, excitement clear on her face. "You'll be my cutest Queen! That means you definitely have something special inside you~"

' _You would be surprised...'_ Shin thought, his eyes slightly narrowing as the piece flew closer to his chest.

However, it suddenly stopped, as Shin smirked mentally, knowing the piece wouldn't work.

 ***GLOW***

However, his eyes suddenly opened wide, as the aura surrounding the queen piece became stronger, beginning to glow strongly. Everyone else seemed surprised as well.

"The piece..." Akeno began, as the piece began changing it's shape slightly, everyone's eyes widening as a result.

"I-It's mutating?!" Rias exclaimed shocked, seeing a Queen Piece, a Satan's Queen Piece no less, mutating right in front of them. Serafall herself seemed to be ecstatic right now.

"A mutated Queen Piece?! That means there's something really strong inside of you~!" she exclaimed happily, as the piece began slowly being absorbed in Shin's chest, making his eyes open wide, actual worry flashing on his face before anyone could see it.

' _I didn't know Evil Pieces could mutate before reincarnation! It must've reacted to **that** \- Shit!'_ he panicked, not having anticipated that Serafall's piece could actually mutate on the spot in order to reincarnate his power. _'I have no choice! I'm **not** becoming **anyone's** servant!' _he declared internally, as a sudden foreign wave of power flooded the room, taking everyone present by surprise.

Serafall's piece suddenly became enveloped in a black miasma, before a violent gust of wind ripped through the room, making the younger devil cover their faces.

 ***CRASH*-!**

The black miasma covering the Evil piece in Shin's chest was suddenly unleashed through the room, the force behind it forcefully ripping the Piece out of Shin's chest, before he could be reincarnated. However, the action not only caused quite the amount of pain to Shin, but it also flung him backward into the wall, leaving a pretty big crack behind.

Once the piece was removed, everything receded, causing the piece to fall at Serafall's feet, while Shin slumped down on the floor, Akeno immediately going to check on him.

"Ugh...What the hell was that?" Shin groaned, slowly getting back to his feet, with the help of Akeno.

"I-I don't know." Serafall was just as, if not more confused than Shin. She has never seen such a thing happen before. "I think...I think whatever is inside you rejected the piece" she said, surprising the people present.

"Rejected? Is that even possible?" Rias asked baffled. Serafall picked up at her, still mutated, Queen Piece and brought it close to her face. She then tried activating it again, surprised as the piece was covered in a blue light once more, signaling that it was still usable.

"The piece still works..." she mumbled, observing the piece closely, as if trying to see just what went wrong. "Well, since it still works, let's try again! Maybe we'll see exactly what went wrong~" she exclaimed happily, readying the piece again.

"Oh hell no, I'm not going through **that** again!" Shin exclaimed, holding his shoulder. "I'm fairly certain I just bruised a rib, and I'm sure as hell not going to bruise another one just to 'see if it works'!"

"B-But" Serafall began getting teary eyed again. However, Rias stepped in as the middle ground.

"Serafall-sama, what just happened definitely wasn't normal. I think you should talk to Ajuka-sama about what happened. He created the Evil Pieces, so he's bound to know **something**." she said, making realization wash over Serafall's features.

"Oh, you're right Rias-chan! Ajuka-chan should definitely know what happened~ I'll need to remember to talk to him as soon as I can~" she grinned, before turning to Shin, who now looked less than pleased. "Sorry Shi-chan, but we'll have to post-pone this until we figure out what happened~"

"Uh, no" Shin denied instantly. "Sorry, but that there just made me change my mind and return to my point. Becoming a devil is just not worth it" he shook his head, making Serafall open her eyes wide again.

"B-But you said you would! You're not really going to leave me just like that, right? Do you really want to make this pretty girl sad?" she pulled out the puppy dog eyes once more, however Shin wasn't affected anymore.

"Sorry, but this no is definitive. I'm not becoming your servant, whatsoever" he stated, closing his eyes so Serafall's face couldn't possibly sway him again. Serafall's face, of course, fell into a sad pout.

"But I...I wanted you to become my cutest Queen...That's so unfair!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot on the ground like a child throwing a tantrum.

"I'm afraid life's not fair" Shin quipped, glancing at the magical girl.

Only to see her having the cutest pout on her face, while she crossed her arms over her bust, making her boobs jiggle and Shin blush. Almost regretting his decision already, Shin spoke.

"Look, how about this?" he sighed, making Serafall look up at him, still pouting a little. "I'll **act** as your 'Queen', until you get this thing figured out, or you find another Queen that compatible with your piece or whatever. Does that sound g-uh?!" he didn't even get to finish, before Serafall latched onto his body, a big childish smile appearing on her face.

"Yes, yes! That's perfectly fine, so please be my cutest Queen!" she exclaimed happily, making Shin sweatdrop.

"Alright, I get it! Now- get off!" he exclaimed, trying to pry the magical girl off his body, to no avail, as the girl had an iron grip around him.

While Shin was busy trying to pry Serafall off, who wouldn't let go for dear life, Rias and the other three couldn't help but sweatdrop as they watched the two go back and forth.

"You know...All things considered, I say those two would actually make for a pretty nice pair, wouldn't you agree?" Rias asked, glancing at her friends.

"Well, they do say opposites attract, so I kind of agree with you Buchou~" Akeno smiled, looking at the squabbling two. _'However I won't allow Serafall to have you all to herself, Shin-kun'_ she thought, a slightly challenging smile appearing on her face.

"Buchou, I think we should help Kurokawa-san" Yuuto said, pointing at Shin, who was now on the ground, seemingly trapped by Serafall completely. She was definitely squeezing him too tightly as well, as his face showed obvious struggle to breathe properly.

"I say, we leave them...I looks like, an MMA fight" Koneko quipped, sitting on one of the chairs, while munching on some caramel popcorn.

Rias sweatdropped, before smiling lightly, going over to help Shin, followed by Akeno and Kiba, Koneko remaining seated on her chair, watching on as the three began pulling on Serafall as well, trying to free Shin from her grasp.

"Geez, that was tiring" Shin mumbled, stifling a yawn.

He was currently walking the lonely streets of Kuoh, the street lights illuminating his path. As he was walking, he thought back on the events inside the ORC, his eyes narrowing slightly.

' _That was too close...'_ he mumbled, placing a hand on his chest. _'To be able to mutate when faced with greater power...Beelzebub's creations are just full of surprises aren't they?'_

' _But, as mysterious as they are, they still aren't able to reincarnate power that's towering over them it seems. But that still was a risky move..._ ' his eyes began glowing brightly. _'I need to start cracking down on those cursed seals. If I couldn't release that short burst, that piece would've actually turned me into her servant…!'_ sighing, he stuffed his hands back in his pockets, and continued on his way.

However, as he walked, he felt a distinct vibration in his pocket, coming from his phone. Fishing out his phone, Shin looked at the caller ID, his eyes narrowing in the process.

"What do you want?" he answered crudely, placing the phone to his ear. Almost immediately, Shin heard an adult male laugh, resound from the other side.

" **Hoho~ It's been a while since I heard that tone~! What happened? Did something happen to your eyebrows again~?"** he teased, making a little blush of embarrassment appear on Shin's face.

"I swear to God..." Shin growled, his eyes narrowing even further.

" **Alright, fine. I won't remind you of how ridiculous you look without your eyebrows~"** the man said, making Shin's eye begin to twitch. **"Seriously though, even Vali had trouble keeping it in~ How did you even lose them in the first place?"** the man chuckled, as Shin's eye began twitching wildly.

"Like hell am I telling you! You'll just make fun of me!" Shine exclaimed, hearing the man on the other side laugh.

" **Alright, you got me there, ahaha!"** the man kept laughing, remembering Shin without his eyebrows, quickly draining Shin's patience.

"If all you called me for is to laugh, then tell me so I can end the call and burn the phone" Shin stated blankly, already taking the phone away from his ear.

" **Wait, hold on!"** the man exclaimed suddenly, causing Shin to bring the phone back to his ear. **"Alright, I didn't call to laugh at you. I have a job for you again"** the man said seriously, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

"You do realize that you still need to pay me for the last two jobs I did for you right?" Shin stated, unamused. "How do I know this one won't end up the same?"

" **OK, I understand why you don't want to accept another job from me, but this is serious"** the man sighed. **"Four of my subordinates have gone rogue."**

"Two of them wouldn't happen to be called Raynare and Dohnaseek, would they?" Shin asked knowingly.

" **Wait, how do you know?"** the man asked surprised, as Shin giggled a bit.

"Dohnaseek is probably still coughing blood from the kick I gave him~" he answered, smiling fondly at the memory. "But yeah, if it's them then I think I get the gist of your job. Let me guess, they were supposed to keep their eyes on Issei Hyoudou, right?" Shin guessed, the man confirming it.

" **Exactly. But I haven't gotten a report from them in a while, and intel just got in that Hyoudou is dead. I take it you were there?"** Shin replied with a short 'Mhmm'. **"Was he reincarnated?"**

"By Gremory, yes. On the bright side, I'm fairly certain he won't awaken his sacred gear in a berserk state anymore~" Shin noted.

" **So that's how it is huh…?"** the man mumbled. **"Well then, since you already know what the gist of what the job is, will you accept it?"**

"Depends" Shin answered. "Do you want them back in a body bag, in pieces, or in a body bag-less piece?"

" **Alive would be best, Shin. You know I can think of punishments worse than death"**

"...Alright fine, I accept" the boy sighed. "I'll let you know as soon as I get them. Can't guarantee anything though. Dohnaseek is very likely to die, just because he's an ass. And I'm not saying that on my own behalf. Raynare herself was just about to stab him when I met them" he said, hearing a tired sigh coming from the man.

" **I'll be honest, I don't give a damn about Dohnaseek. I have a soft spot for women, so he can fuck right off"** the man said crudely, causing Shin to laugh. **"But anyway, get them somewhere recluse, and I'll come to pick them up personally. I'll pay you once the job is done as well."**

"I take it the usual price is fine with you?" Shin question with a raised eyebrow.

" **Yeah, sure. Just try to get them in one piece, and I'll take care of the rest"** the man confirmed, making Shin nod his head once.

"Consider it done. Seeya then" Shin said, promptly ending the call, stuffing the phone back in his pocket.

"Maybe coming to this town wasn't such a good idea" Shin mumbled, resuming his walk home, tired after today's events.

 **And that's a wrap~**

 **Things have finally started! Oh yeah~**

 **Anyway, not too much to say about this chapter. Shin was introduced to the ORC, as well as a tiny bit of his past being revealed. As well as some of his hidden personality. Wonder what that's actually like…**

 **Some other things happened as well, but I'm too tired to recount them here this time, so go and read it yourself~**

 **Current harems:**

 **Shin: Serafall, Kuroka, Gabriel, Akeno, WIP.**

 **Issei: Rias, Asia, WIP.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter, tell me what you thought of it in the reviews, suggest girls, all that good stuff~**

 **So with all of that said and done, I will see you next chapter, whenever that is.**

 **~Seeya~**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Things are getting heated...?

"Tired..." Shin mumbled, stepping inside his house after a long day. Leaving his shoes at the entrance, he made his way to the kitchen.

"I'm home" the boy called, entering through the living room where his two pets slept. Of course, Sayaka's head immediately snapped in attention, in turn causing Kurome to wake up as well as she was sleeping on the dog's head. She then stood up and went over to Shin, rubbing her head on his legs while wagging her tail happily.

"Hey there Sayaka. Nice to see you again~" he smiled, scratching the husky's head.

Quickly whipping himself a sandwich, Shin went back to the living room and plopped down on the couch, Sayaka hopping right next to him.

"I've gotten unused to how stressful life can be these days..." Shin mumbled, taking a bite out of his sandwich. "Living in Kyoto certainly made me soft..." he thought, a certain look appearing in his eyes.

' _Soft huh...'_ and then, his eyes hardened. _'There's no turning back now. After all this time, all the necessary pieces have fallen in place...No more going soft now. I made a promise…'_

"Nyaa~?" hearing a meow, Shin looked in his lap where Kurome was currently sat. With a tiny smile on his lips, he began scratching behind her ear, earning a most satisfied purr from the cat.

"What's up Kurome? You hungry again?" he chuckled, as Kurome nodded her head immediately. Shaking his head lightly, Shin placed Kurome on his shoulder and stood up. "What a needy kitty cat you are..." he mumbled, turning his head to Sayaka.

"Come on Sayaka. Time to eat~" the boy called, Sayaka immediately perking up and hopping off the couch. She then trotted past Shin right into the kitchen, causing the teen to chuckle and follow suit.

A while later, Shin returned to the living room, sitting back on the couch. He then felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, making him raise an eyebrow. Taking another bite from his sandwich, he fished out his phone and checked the message inbox where a new message appeared.

"So these are the other two huh?" he noted, seeing a message from his recent contractor where four pictures were shown.

' _ **Figured you'd need these. Seeya soon'**_ the message read. Raising an eyebrow, Shin scrolled down to the actual pictures.

The first two Shin recognized as being Raynare and Dohnaseek, however the other two were unfamiliar to him.

The first one was a relatively young looking girl with blonde hair styled in twintails and blue eyes, wearing a black Lolita outfit. The way she was smirking in the picture made Shin compare her to an iceberg.

' _Harmless on the surface, nasty underneath the seems. At least she seems hot headed, so that could be used to my advantage...'_ he thought, before looking at the fourth renegade.

A buxom woman with long, navy blue hair that covered her right eye, both eyes being brown in color. She also wore what appeared to be a maroon, trenchcoat-like top with a wide collar, which was opened to reveal quite a lot of cleavage.

' _Hmm...a big question mark on her. Her face doesn't give me much info on her personality.'_ he hummed in thought, taking another bite of his sandwich.

' _Well, now that I know my targets, I need to find out exactly where these bastards are hiding. Then I'll see what the best course of action is..'_ sinking into his couch, Shin closed his eyes and released a breath, feeling both Sayaka and Kurome sit down on the couch next to him.

 ***GLOW***

.

.

"...Eh?" Shin eyes opened suddenly, as a glowing red circle appeared in the living room, making him and his two pets snap their heads in the direction of said magic circle.

' _The Gremory crest? What does she want now?'_ the boy wondered, as the circle glowed brightly, soon after revealing a person standing in the middle of it.

However, it wasn't the person Shin was actually expecting.

"A-Akeno-san?" he got out, confused as to why the raven haired beauty, still dressed in her school uniform, appeared in his living room all of a sudden.

"A good evening to you Shin-kun~ I hope I'm not intruding~" Akeno smiled, waving a little.

"W-Well, I don't really know if suddenly appearing in someone's house counts as breaking and entering so, for the time being, it's all right.." Shin chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "But uh...to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked.

"Well first, I wanted to see if you're okay from what happened earlier" she said a little worried, referring to the incident with the Evil Pieces.

"Ah, that" Shin mumbled, rubbing his back. "It still stings a bit, but nothing serious. I'm tougher than I look you know~" he stated proudly, making Akeno giggle.

"I sort of figured~" she said, before going over to the couch, sitting next to Shin. **Very** close to Shin, in fact.

 ***hiss***

So close, that she made Kurome give up her spot next to the boy, something she didn't take to very kindly, thus she began hissing at Akeno.

"Y-You have a cat too?" she asked surprised, scooting closer to Shin due to the hissing cat.

"Yeah, I found her together with Sayaka, actually" Shin noted, before looking at his cat. "Kurome, that's no way to treat a guest" he stated, somehow making Kurome stop hissing. However, the cat released something akin to a huff and hopped off the couch, heading out of the living room.

It was then that Sayaka got up and hopped off the couch as well. Unlike Kurome however, the husky hopped right back on the couch, placing her head on Akeno's lap.

"Oh wow, her fur is really soft~" the girl cooed, stroking Sayaka's fur.

"Yeah, and it was a real pain to get it that way..." Shin mumbled, sweatdropping while looking to the side.

"Say, Shin-kun.." Akeno said, getting Shin's attention. "When we met in the shopping district today...you lied to us about what you saw in the forest, didn't you?" she questioned, her violet eyes glancing at Shin, while still petting Sayaka's fur.

"Well, I wouldn't call it as lying really" the boy said, after a moment of silence. Then, he stood up and began heading toward the kitchen. "I did hear a little kid's crying. It's just that when I went to look, the only thing I found was Stephen King's wildest fantasy"

"And you fought it…?" Akeno inquired, making Shin turn back to face her with a raised eyebrow.

"Anybody tell you you're quite inquisitive?" Shin chuckled, before stepping into his kitchen. "Maybe I fought it, maybe I managed to scoot outta there and someone else came in for the kill and vanished just before you. Who cares at this point, y'know?" and then he popped his head back in the doorway and glanced at Akeno. "What would the young miss prefer? Green or black tea?"

"U-Uh, I'm fine with black tea" she called back, surprised and cursing herself for stuttering like that.

"Anybody tell you you're cute when you're embarrassed?" Shin asked, a teasing edge to his tone.

Akeno turned her head to the side, trying to hide the fact that her blush got a hue darker, the girl wondering why she was blushing in the first place. She was usually was the one doing the teasing and making people blush, but now **she** was on the receiving end, and she didn't like it all that much.

"With a blush like that, it's hard to tell whether you're embarrassed or have a fever" Shin said, entering the living room again with two cups in his hands. He then set the cups on the table in front of Akeno, after which he sat back on the leather couch.

"Hmm, well I have been rather, hot lately..." the raven haired beauty began, her own teasing smirk returning to her. "Are you willing to give me a check up, I wonder~?" she asked sultrily, swiftly placing Shin's arm between her large 'assets'. To her confusion however, Shin didn't seem fazed, simply taking a sip from his tea.

"I'm afraid I'm not very easy to tease, Akeno-san" the boy chuckled, glancing at Akeno with a small smirk. "I grew up around teasing women, not to mention I'm generally and calm person. You won't have much success in trying to tease me" Shin explained proudly, closing his eyes and taking another sip of his tea.

Hearing this, Akeno pouted cutely which went unnoticed by Shin. She now had a mission. And that mission was to get Shin embarrassed. She wanted to see it happen, and she would do her damn best to do it.

' _Thankfully, I'm not afraid to take drastic measures Shin-kun~'_ Akeno giggled giggled in her mind, already plotting.

The two sat in silence for a while, simply drinking their tea. Until Shin cleared his throat, breaking the silence and making Akeno glance at him.

"So, beside wanting to check up on me, is there any **other** reason you're here Akeno-san?" the boy asked, placing his empty cup on the table.

"You forgot already?" Akeno asked with fake hurt in her voice, looking at Shin. Seeing him raise an eyebrow, she placed her cup down, stood up and clapped her hands. "I said I was going to teach you how to cook, didn't I~?"

.

.

"...Eh?"

"I think I prefer the instant noodles..." Shin mumbled, currently in an apron.

"Oh don't be such a baby Shin-kun. No one said cooking was easy. You just have to get used to it" Akeno chuckled from behind Shin.

The two were currently in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Well, Shin was doing everything, however Akeno was the one acting as his 'puppeteer' guiding him through all the necessary steps. She would even go behind him and use his hands as her own, in order to make him get a feel for cooking.

Something she was doing right now.

"Now you just boil the vegetables for a few minutes and add them to the soup afterward" the girl said, stepping away from Shin and letting him put the cut veggies in the boiling pot.

"I haven't been this tired in years..." Shin sighed, leaning on the counter. "You must've been cooking for years to get this good" he said, looking at the raven haired girl. At that moment, Akeno's expression feel slightly.

"Well, you tend to learn pretty fast when you need to" she said, glancing to the side. Shin knew immediately what she meant, the girl having an expression on her face that was all too familiar for him.

"I guess that means you live alone as well huh?" he noted, looking at the ceiling. Akeno didn't respond, but Shin knew what her silence meant, so he didn't question it further.

 ***Ding***

At that moment, the two heard the sound of a bell, coming from behind Shin. Glancing behind him, the boy saw the alarm Akeno set for, meaning the vegetables were ready to be added to the soup.

"Well, it looks like it's about time we finish dinner" Akeno remarked, regaining her usual demeanor. Shin simply nodded, as the two returned to completing the meal for tonight.

A while later, when the soup was done, Shin glanced at the clock.

"Umm, Akeno-san?"

"Hmm~?" Akeno hummed in a questioning tone, currently cleaning some things in the sink.

"We have school tomorrow don't we?" Shin asked, still looking at the clock.

"Yes, why do you ask?" the girl answered, glancing back at Shin. But seeing him stare at the wall made her raise an eyebrow.

"Well uh...it's almost 11 PM. Thought you'd like to know that" he stated simply, stepping to the side and letting Akeno look at the clock as well.

"It's so late already?" she asked surprised, her eyes widening a considerable amount. "Oh crap..." she mumbled, a little sweatdrop appearing on her face.

"Something wrong?" Shin asked, seeing the sweatdrop.

"Well, I told Rias I'd only come to check up on you, and then I'd be back for my Devil duties..." she answered, cleaning her hands on a nearby towel, and heading toward the exit.

"Now hold on." only for Shin to grab her hand, making her look at him confused. "You just spent all this time helping me get dinner ready. Aren't you even going to stay and see if it came out any good?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I'd love to Shin-kun, but I can't just ignore my duties. It reflects bad on Rias" Akeno answered, trying to leave again, only to be stopped by Shin once again.

"Just this once?" he asked, his fluorescent blue eyes peering into Akeno's violet orbs.

"I..." the girl tried to answer, but something about Shin's eyes made her focus on them alone.

"And what if you tell her you helped a fellow Queen and simply lost track of time?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, as a smirk made it's way on his face. Akeno was about to question it, before it clicked in her mind.

"I'm technically Serafall's Queen remember? I'm certain I can get Rias to pardon you just this once~" Shin said, letting go of Akeno's hand.

Akeno stayed silent for a while.

Shin certainly wasn't wrong with what he said. Even if not officially, Serafall herself considered him a fully fledged Queen. And being a Maou's Queen grants a whole lot of authority. Akeno herself knew that Serafall would certainly side with Shin on the matter, which meant the ravenette could pretty much get away scot-free.

Looking back at the smirking teen, Akeno herself gained a small smirk.

"How very cunning of You, Shin-kun" the girl grinned, leaning into the boy. "You must secretly be an evil mastermind~"

' _...oh you'll be surprised...'_ Shin thoguht, his eye briefly turning sharper than usual, before reverting back.

"Well..." Akeno began, a small smile appearing on her face. "Since you asked me so nicely, it would be very rude to refuse. Fufufu~" she giggled, giving Shin her hand.

Grinning, Shin began setting everything up while Akeno remained on the couch, enjoying Sayaka's company. Once the table was set, the two sat across from each other and ate, while making idle chat.

"That was actually pretty good" Shin noted, as the two finished eating. Leaning back in his chair, the boy had a very proud grin on his face.

"Hmm, it could've been better" Akeno said, causing Shin to look back at her surprised.

"But how?!" he exclaimed, making Akeno giggle.

"Just because I helped you once, doesn't mean you magically became a master chef, Shin-kun" she said, before smiling with a glint in her eyes. "Looks like I'll have to give you a few more cooking lessons~"

"Dang it..." Shin sighed, slumping in his seat. Seeing his reaction made Akeno start giggling again. Until she looked at the clock again, seeing that it was now close to midnight.

Shin noticed her looking behind him and followed her line of sight, glancing up at the clock.

"Alright, now it's definitely gotten late" he remarked, looking back at Akeno. "You gonna head home now?" he asked, only to raise an eyebrow as Akeno sweatdropped.

"Well, I actually left my keys back at the clubhouse..." she answered awkwardly, before gaining another glint in her eyes. "Besides it's gotten so dark outside. It's too dangerous for a poor girl like me~"

"I highly doubt that but I'll play along-" Shin mumbled, looking back at Akeno with amusement. "And what do you suggest I do?"

"Would it be an imposition if this cute little girl spent the night here~?" she asked in a cute voice, making Shin raise an eyebrow.

"I have a better idea~" Shin responded, mimicking Akeno's voice. "Why don't you teleport back to the clubhouse, grab your keys and then teleport back to your own house~? That way you don't have to go through those scary streets~"

"But if I go back now, I'll have to deal with Rias~" the ravenette answered without skipping a beat, standing up and striding toward Shin. She also made sure to put a sway in her hips.

"And since you're the one who convinced me to stay here so long, you either come with me to the clubhouse and deal with Rias in my stead-" she began, draping her arms around Shin while speaking in a teasing voice. "Or~ you can let me stay the night~"

Hearing her options, Shin face turned blank as the boy remained silent for a moment.

"I'll go get the guest room ready..." he sighed, getting up and heading upstairs, leaving Akeno alone with Sayaka.

' _Fufufu~ I'm starting to see your weaknesses, Shin-kun~'_ the girl giggled, sitting back on the couch, followed by Sayaka who placed her head back on Akeno's lap. However, as she was petting the white fur ball, Akeno's eyes started becoming heavy, sleep overtaking the girl before she even knew it.

A while later, Shin came back downstairs holding what appeared to be girl pajamas.

"The hell is this…?" upon entering the living room, he was surprised to see Akeno and Sayaka, both peacefully asleep on the couch. _'I'm certain I didn't spend more than ten minutes upstairs. I guess teaching me how to cook took a lot more work than she thought...'_ he sweatdropped, before releasing a silent breath.

Placing the pajamas on the sofa chair, Shin soundlessly made his way over to the sleeping pair.

Reaching his hand out, he began petting Sayaka on the head, causing the husky to open her eyes. He then motioned for her to get off Akeno, something the dog complied with immediately.

Shin then effortlessly picked Akeno up bridal style and left the living room.

Going up the stairs, he walked down the hall of the second floor, reaching a wooden door at the very end. This was the guest room, which was conveniently placed right next to Shin's own room.

Shin raised his left leg, and expertly used it to open the door.

Stepping inside, he gently placed Akeno on the bed. But before covering her with the blanket, he noticed she was still in her uniform. The main problem being the corset the girls had to wear, getting in the way of a comfortable sleep.

' _I'm afraid of taking that thing off, in case she wakes up...'_ he scratched the back of his head, a conflicted expression of his face. _'But that corset can't be comfortable...'_

Deciding to take his chances, Shin hand slowly inched closer to Akeno's corset. Then, with the speed of a cheetah, he undid the first button and immediately retreated, in case Akeno woke up. She was still sound asleep.

' _Ah, this is nerve racking...I'd rather take on an Ultimate-Class devil any day instead of doing this on any given night'_ he gulped, before getting back to work undoing the buttons of Akeno's corset.

And thus, with extreme caution and dexterity, he managed to undo all buttons on Akeno's corset. The final task now was to get the corset from under the girl.

He slowly grabbed the corset and waited.

' _And...Now!'_ fast as a flash, Shin yanked the corset from under Akeno, so she would feel as little of the process as possible.

With the corset off, Shin breathed in relief. Folding the piece of clothing, he placed it on a chair nearby, before turning back to the sleeping girl.

' _Just the shoes now. The rest stays on'_ he declared, not daring to push his luck any further.

He gingerly took her shoes off and placed them near the bed. But as he was about to straighten back up, Akeno turned to on her side, flashing something that made Shin's face suddenly light up.

' _Why did she have to wear lace...'_ he wondered, currently staring at Akeno's -not so concealed- treasure.

But, since he wasn't made up of raging hormones like another teen he knew, Shin quickly looked away and covered the girl with a blanket. He then stepped away from the bed, quietly leaving the room.

In the hallway, Shin had but one thought.

' _...My life just won't become easier, will it...'_

A while later, Shin entered his own room, wearing nothing but his shorts and a towel around his shoulders. Throwing the towel on the stool next to his bed, Shin let himself fall back on his soft bed.

 ***plop***

"...Eh?" Shin questioned, as he felt a light weight land on his chest.

Looking down, Shin was surprised to see his feline pet sitting on his chest, her amber eyes staring at Shin's fluorescent blue ones.

"Ah, hey Kurome~" the boy greeted, scratching the cat behind the ear, earning another satisfied purr from her. "Today certainly was busy...And I have a feeling it will only get busier..." he deadpanned, not really excited for what was to come.

"Nyaa~" Kurome meowed, as if to say 'it will be fine'. She even booped Shin on the nose, making a little smile appear on his face.

She then curled up in a ball on his chest, 'claiming' it as her sleeping spot for the night. Shin raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question it and just let himself sink in the bed, sleep overtaking him…

 ***scratch**scratch**scratch***

However, the sound of scratching coming from outside his door, stopped him from falling asleep. Confused, he focused on sensing whoever was in the house, Akeno being the only one with a different signature in the house.

However, while faint, he could feel something different coming from the cat asleep on his chest. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as a sudden glint appeared in his eyes.

' _-*woof*'_ however his train of thought was interrupted when a familiar bark came from outside the door, belonging to none other than Sayaka.

' _Crap, I forgot Sayaka was still downstairs. She must want back in her own bed'_ Shin thought, glancing at the dog bed situated in the corner of his room. Gently taking Kurome off his chest, he stood up and walked to the door.

"Alright Sayaka, come in" Shin said, opening the door and letting his white husky trot right past him into the room. As Sayaka went to her bed, Shin glanced down the hallway, seeing the lights downstairs were still on.

Sighing, he swiftly made his way downstairs, turned off the light and dashed back to his room, not wanting to waste any more time, as he still needed to wake up early tomorrow.

Crawling back in bed, he threw the covers on, and let himself sink in the softness of his pillow, sleep overtaking him soon after.

Unaware as a blue magic circle lit up in his room…

.

.

.

 **RIIIINNG**

"...Ngghh...another day begins..." Shin mumbled, as his alarm clock started ringing, coupled with rays of sunlight hitting his in the face.

Shin slid his arm from under his head and turned off the alarm, then simply laid motionless for a bit, taking a few minutes to wake himself properly, so he wouldn't fall back asleep as soon as he got out of bed.

' _And speaking of getting out of bed. I need to get my ass moving and go wake up Akeno-san as well. I don't know her morning routine so time is of the essence'_ he thought, finally getting himself to move out of bed.

.

.

"Hah?" Shin's eyes opened suddenly, upon noticing that he couldn't move his body. Something he attributed to the foreign weight on his chest.

Alerted, the boys eyes immediately looked down at the two new presences under his bedsheets, soundly asleep on his chest. It took a moment, but Shin recognized the two long haired ravenettes.

"Oh, it's just Akeno-san and Serafall..." he breathed in slight relief, letting his head fall back into the pillow, a little smile appearing on his face. But as he did, realization began in

3...

2...

.

.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING IN MY BED?!" Shin's thunderous roar resounded throughout the house, startling his pets, an even his neighbors, awake.

"Mmm~ Morning already~?" Akeno's mumbled sleepily, raising her body off Shin's chest. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she looked at Shin's blank face, adopting an 'innocent' smile. "Good morning Shin-kun~ Did you sleep well?"

Shin didn't answer immediately. He was a little distracted by Akeno's current attire. Which consisted of nothing more than her lacy violet lingerie. Shin saw a tiny bit of it last night, however he was not fully prepared to see it in broad daylight.

"Is something the matter, Shin-kun?" Akeno questioned, as Shin's face slowly started turning red in embarrassment, a few beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"Oh there's something up alright..." Shin stated, turning his head to the side and focus his thoughts somewhere else, to keep a certain something for waking up as well.

"Something up? It wouldn't happen to be a certain...something underneath your pants, right?" the raven haired -half naked- beauty asked, still playing the innocent card, but having the teasing glint in her eyes. Something that made Shin's right eye begin to twitch.

"No, it would be the fact of- WHY ARE YOU IN MY BED AND IN YOUR UNDERWEAR?!" he exclaimed, his right eye twitching wildly as his face blushed some more.

Following his shout, Serafall's form started moving under the covers, the girls voice speaking soon after.

"Nghh...What's with all the racket?" she asked in a tired voice, raising her own body as well, causing Shin to glance at her.

But as the blanket fell off her shoulders, it revealed something that made Shin's eye go to the size of dinner plates, his face burning up in the most literal sense of the word. The cause?

The Maou Serafall Leviathan, currently sat dangerously close to Shin's 'private area', was completely naked.

Under normal circumstances, Shin could control his teenage hormones, mostly due to the years of 'practice' that he had. However, having two extremely beautiful women suddenly appear in his bed, both pretty much having everything on display, Shin was very close to losing a dangerous battle, as his hormones were kicked into overdrive.

"Looks like someone is happy to see me~ A big boy at that~" Serafall spoke teasingly, a matching smirk on her face.

Shin had hoped the girls wouldn't notice the thing plaguing all men in the morning, also know as morning wood. And as if that wasn't bad enough, these two women in particular made his pants become a very tight confinement.

And the fact that Serafall was pretty much sitting on Shin's private quarters, made it that much worse.

"My, how naughty Shin-kun~" to add to Shin's trouble, Akeno couldn't resist the opportunity to tease Shin, having gained a sudden desire to see Shin flustered. And what better way to get Shin even more flustered, than to press her boobs on his chest, the girl looking at him with a sultry expression.

"To think you would want such a thing this early in the morning? You're such a bad boy~" she spoke teasingly, making Shin's eye start twitching again as his heart started beating rapidly. Thus, actually fearing a heart attack, Shin decided to put some order in place.

"Alright, that's enough!" he declared, mustering up the strength to forcefully push himself upright.

[Kyya?!] simultaneously causing the girls on his chest to stumble backward, almost falling out of the bed. Fortunately, the managed to catch themselves on the edge of the bed.

"Now then" Shin spoke in a cold tone, sending a small shiver down Akeno and Serafall's spines. "Care to explain what you two were doing in my bed? Naked?" he questioned sternly, Serafall briefly comparing him to the silver haired maid she knew.

"I-I'm not actually naked-" Akeno began, only to be silenced by Shin's harsh gaze.

"Your lingerie doesn't leave much to the imagination, so you are on the same boat as Serafall" he explained, before his sights shifted on the naked Maou. "And speaking of. What are you doing here?"

"I'm just trying to spend some time with my cutest Queen~" Serafall answered innocently, causing Shin to raise an eyebrow. "I usually have limited free time, so I have to jump at every opportunity to spend some quality time with my peerage~"

"I thought I told you last night I'm only **acting** as your Queen" Shin deadpanned. However, Serafall's smile didn't falter.

"Acting or not, you still accepted to take on the duties of being my Queen~ And I'll do everything in my power to make sure my cutest Queen lives an enjoyable life!" she declared happily.

"And you being naked helps accomplish that, how?" Shin questioned in a dry tone, making Serafall wink playfully.

"Well, after that whole incident with the Evil Pieces, I wanted to make sure that you were fine. So, after I managed to sneak away from the old geezers, I came here to heal your back~ And since the procedure requires skin contact, I had to discard the Magical Girl outfit and snuggle up to you~" she explained cheerfully, doing a little pose. Of course, that made her boobs jiggle, something Shin managed to catch through his peripheral.

"...Aha" Shin deadpanned, making sure to keep his actual line of sight above Serafall's chest. "But that doesn't explain why you're still here" he questioned, as Serafall's shoulders slumped slightly.

"For some reason, your back didn't need any healing..." she mumbled, seemingly a little sad at not being able to heal Shin. However, it didn't last as she perked back up again. "Since I didn't want to teleport all the way back to the Underworld -partly cuz I would get chewed out by the geezers- I decided to spend the night here with my Queen! You're incredibly comfortable to sleep on, by the way~"

"I've been told that a few times..." Shin mumbled, images of three certain women flashing in his mind. "Alright, I can understand why **you're** here..." his eyes shifted from Serafall to Akeno, who had been quietly sitting on the side. "But why are you here, Akeno-san?"

"Well, I woke up around midnight and felt Serafall-sama here with you" Akeno began, a sly smile making it's way on her face. "Since I don't like being left out, I decided that sleeping here would be much better than sleeping all alone in that other room~" she said, trying to inch closer to Shin, only for the boy to flick her forehead, causing her to yelp and slide back in her spot.

"And the reason you're in your underwear is...?" the boy questioned, dragging out the question in order to make it clear he was expecting an answer.

"Since I woke up without my corset, I figured you wanted to see what was underneath~" Akeno replied in a seductive voice, a teasing tone in her voice.

However, trying to tease Shin was pretty much useless by this point. He had plenty of time to regain his composure from earlier, and her was now focused on keeping order in the room.

"Well, you figured wrong" Shin stated blankly, looking at Akeno with a stoic expression. "I took the corset off because I thought it couldn't be comfortable to sleep in it. Maybe next time I should just leave it on."

"Oh? Does that mean there will be a next time?" Akeno questioned with a little smirk, keen on the next time she could try to tease Shin when he was the most vulnerable.

"Maybe" was Shin's flat answer. The boy then glanced at the clock, noting it was almost 7 AM.

"Akeno-san, we need to get ready for school you know?" he noted, finally getting out of bed. He then glanced at the girl on his bed. "If you want to take a shower, now's the time. That goes for both of you" he said, getting a change of clothes from his closet. "The bathroom is the last door down the hallway." and with that, he left the room and stepped into the guest room in order to change.

"So, what happened to Issei after Rias picked him up? I forgot to ask her last night" Shin asked the ravenette walking beside him, the two currently heading toward school.

"She took him back to his house and healed him. He did have a giant hole in his stomach, after all" Akeno answered, glancing up at Shin. "You were there with him, right? You could've helped him."

"I only got there after he got stabbed" Shin said, looking around so no random pedestrian heard the conversation. "Though I did give the Fallen Angels a pretty solid warning to stay far away from him in the future."

Akeno was curious as to what this 'warning' was, but couldn't voice it as the two reached the school gates. In the courtyard, it didn't take long for the two teens to start hearing the whisperings around them.

"I thought you said this school wouldn't be bothersome, Akeno-san..." Shin mumbled quietly, glancing blankly at the whispering students looking at him and Akeno. The girl herself seemed completely unfazed by it.

"That's just how teenagers are, Shin-kun" she responded amused, looking at the boy walking next to her. "You're one too you know? You should've expected this much~"

"..." Shin didn't answer, as he spotted something interesting out of the corner of his eye.

A little distance away, Shin saw Issei talking to his two friends. What was interesting however, was Issei's expression, which seemed to contain confusion, shock and a little amount of fear. Not to mention he looked at little drained as well.

"Say Akeno-san" he spoke, not taking his eyes off Issei. He did however feel Akeno look at him, so he continued. "Issei looks pretty freaked out over there, doesn't he?"

Raising an eyebrow, Akeno followed Shin's line of sight, noticing Issei and his apparent struggle as well.

"That Fallen Angel must've erased the evidence of her existence after she killed Hyoudou-kun" she surmised, Shin not missing the venom laced in 'Fallen Angel'. "He must be confused as to what actually happened last night..."

"Then what do I tell him?" Shin asked, causing Akeno to look at him confused. "I met him and his 'date' in the shopping district before she killed him. I'm certain he'll ask me about it at some point. Do I tell him outright what happened?"

"I think you should let Rias tell him after school today" Akeno said, as the two entered the academy. Raising an eyebrow, Shin glanced at the ravenette.

"Excuse me If I doubt her capability to explain Issei's situation to him fully" he said, in turn making Akeno raise an eyebrow this time.

"There's no reason for her to hide anything from Hyoudou-kun" she said, however Shin shook his head.

"Sorry Akeno-san, but High-Class devils have a tendency to let their desire get the better of them. Which means there's no guarantee Rias won't try to bend the facts around, to make Issei think better of his situation" Shin said harshly, not even trying to hide any distrust he had toward Rias.

"Rias isn't like that, Shin-kun." Akeno, of course, tried to defend her best friend.

"I'm someone who believes in actions, rather than words, Akeno-san" the midnight haired boy stated, turning to head up the stairs to his classroom. "I'll bring Hyoudou to your club myself, and then I'll see whether Rias is like the other High-Class devils or not. Seeya then" and with a quick wave, Shin left Akeno and walked up the flight of stairs.

Coincidentally, he ended up passing by Rias of all people on his way up. She greeted him, however he merely responded with a quick bow of his head, before resuming his walk to class, confusing the redhead.

' _Did he have a rough night?'_ Rias wondered, meeting up with Akeno at the bottom of the stairs.

' _I was planning on going after Raynare and her little group today after school, but it looks like I'll have to postpone it for tomorrow'_ Shin mumbled in his mind, seating himself at his desk.

"Looks like there's a lot on your mind, Kurokawa-san" Shin heard Kiryuu's voice coming from beside him. Glancing at the bespectacled woman, he saw her looking at him with her usual smirk. "Maybe sharing your problem can help ease the burden~?"

"A little hard to do when there isn't a problem, Kiryuu-san" Shin answered with a smile, putting up his high-school student front.

"Oh is that so? I thought the other guys started harassing you already" Kiryuu replied, shrugging her shoulders a bit.

"Huh? Why would they do that?" Shin asked, raising an eyebrow. Kiryuu gained her normal grin again.

"Well, because you walked to school together with one of the Great Onee-samas, that's why" she smirked, before glancing at Shin's pants again. "Himejima-san must be very pleased~" Kiryuu's perverse giggle made Shin raise an eyebrow.

"I don't know why she would be 'pleased' but I'll be sure to tell her you think that the next time I see her" Shin smiled innocently, making Kiryuu do a double take.

"I keep telling you Issei, I don't remember any 'Yuuma-chan." Shin heard one of Issei's friends speak, as the Perverted Trio made it's way into the classroom.

"Yeah man. Maybe you haven't taken one down in so long and you're starting to hallucinate" Matsuda laughed, patting Issei on the back.

"Yeah, whatever..." the boy mumbled, a tired expression on his face.

However, that expression changed upon seeing Shin. Issei knew for a fact that Shin saw Yuuma, so he was Issei's last hope at knowing whether his date was real or not. And so, he made his way toward the midnight haired teen.

"Hey, Kurokawa-san..." Issei greeted, approaching Shin's desk. Hearing the voice, Shin glanced at the brown haired teen, giving him a warm smile.

"Ah, good morning to you Hyoudou-san" Shin greeted completely natural.

"Listen, yesterday-" Issei spoke, only to be interrupted by the classroom door opening rather loudly.

"Alright class, settle down and take your seats!" the teacher announced, entering the classroom. Then, he slapped a bunch on papers of the desk, a smirk appearing on his face. "I hope you all looked through your notes over the weekend, because we're writing a quick test today!"

Some students groaned, some were completely fine with the test while some others, like Issei's friends, would've wanted anything other than a test.

As for Issei himself, he sighed as he returned to his designated seat. He needed to wait until recess to speak to Shin. And now he had to worry about the test, being certain he'll get another bad grade slapped unto it.

' _Hmm. Issei looks really bothered by this whole ordeal'_ Shin noted, passing the test sheets behind him, keeping one for himself. _'Then again, being betrayed like does do that to you...'_

The class was given a whole period to finish the test, regular class resuming afterward. And soon enough, the bell rang for recess.

Issei, who was pretty much sleeping for the last period before recess, woke up with a slight startle by the bell. Almost immediately he looked in front of him, hoping Shin wasn't gone yet.

Too bad, as Shin was long gone.

Outside, Shin was currently making his way past groups of fellow students, wanting to check a rather quiet spot he saw from the window in his classroom.

"Hello Kurokawa-san" Shin heard a familiar voice coming from behind him, causing him to stop and glance at the owner.

"Ah, a good day to you...Kiba-san, was it?" Shin answered politely, a small smile on his face. However, Shin could feel something else in the air. A certain tension. "Is something the matter?" he questioned, sensing that something come from Yuuto.

"Nothing per say. I just wanted to ask you something" Yuuto answered, his 'prince' smile still present. "I watched your sparring session against the Kendo captains last week and I have to say I'm rather impressed" he continued, stepping closer to Shin. "I'm quite a fan of swordplay myself, so I was wondering if you'd like to spar with me one day?"

Shin's eye narrowed a slight amount, as he analyzed Kiba's intentions.

' _I feel like this is something more...personal, than he let's on'_ Shin noted, being able of seeing through people and pick up on their intentions with relative ease. Nevertheless, he didn't lose his smile, in order to keep up appearances.

"Sure, I have no problem with a little friendly spar~" Shin answered politely. "But I'm afraid it will have to wait for a while. I'm rather busy in the near future. I hope it's not a problem?" he said awkwardly, bowing his head.

"It's no problem at all, Kurokawa-san" Yuuto chuckled lightly, before bowing his own head. "I believe I've taken up enough of your time. Enjoy your break" and with that bow, he turned on his heel and left Shin alone, giving a little wave before disappearing.

' _If I remember correctly, he seemed to be glaring at me when I said I used to be an Exorcist.._ ' and then, a contemplating expression appeared on his face, as he resumed his walk. _'Hmm...with the amount of skeletons the Church has in it's closet...figuring out exactly what seems to be bothering Kiba may take a while. Or he's just generally distrustful of people with affiliations to the Church. Since he's a Devil, it would make sense.'_

And with the final thought, Shin focused back on finding the quiet spot he saw. It didn't take long for him to end up behind the school, near the running track. There, he saw that recess was almost over already, meaning that he had to hurry back to class.

After what seemed like an eternity, the final bell rang, signaling the end of school for the day. Meaning that Shin and Issei needed to get to the Occult Research Club. Rather, Shin needed to bring Issei there.

"Hey, Kurokawa-san." speaking of, Issei patted Shin on the shoulder, as soon as the bell rang.

"Hmm?" Shin turned his head, and looked at Issei's troubled expression.

"Listen. We met last night, didn't we?" Issei questioned seriously. Shin had a brief thought of messing with Issei, and saying no. However, he knew this could potentially make things more difficult in the future, so he decided to be as honest as possible.

"You mean in the shopping district?" he wondered, Issei's face literally lighting up like a star with hope. "If so, then yes. We did meet last night- ah?!" he didn't get to finish his sentence properly, as Issei grabbed his shoulders.

"Then you remember the girl I was with right?! You remember Yuuma-chan, don't you?!" he exclaimed, seemingly hellbent on knowing the answer, hoping it would be the answer he really wanted to hear.

"Yuuma-chan?" Shin questioned, resisting the urge to laugh as Issei's face fell. But he wasn't that cruel. "A girl of medium height, long black hair, violet eyes- that Yuuma-chan?" he continued, as Issei's face filled with hope.

"Yes! So you do remember!" he exclaimed relieved. Happy even. "You're the only one who remembers her. Everyone else thinks I lost it!"

"I'm certain they do, but you should probably let go of my shoulders now~" Shin smiled, pointing behind Issei as he continued. "You're making a scene."

Looking behind him, Issei saw that the whole class had stopped what they were doing, and were looking at the two with wide eyes. Mostly shock from the girls, reading something along the line of 'how dare he touch our king?!'.

Realizing the situation, Issei quickly let go of Shin, scratching the back of his head while laughing awkwardly.

"Say, are you free right now Hyoudou-san?" Shin asked out of the blue, gathering his things.

"Uh, yeah I am. Why?" Issei answered, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Nodding his head, Shin stood up.

"I think I may have an answer for your current 'dilemma', Hyoudou-san" the midnight haired boy said, making Issei open his eyes in surprise. "So gather your stuff. We need to visit someone" he said with a smile, patting Issei on the shoulder.

He then walked past Issei, causing the teen to gather his things in a hurry, and follow Shin out of the classroom.

Outside the school, the two boys were currently making their way toward the Occult Research Club. Not that Issei knew that yet, hence he turned to Shin.

"So, uh...Where are we actually going?" he asked. Shin spared him a glance, before answering.

"We're going to the Occult Research Club." his short answer, surprised Issei.

"Wait the ORC? Why though?"

"Because Rias needs to talk to you" Shin said, as the two entered the forest behind the school, nearing the old school building.

"Gremory-senpai? What could she possibly want with me…?" Issei mumbled confused, before a blush appeared on his face, coupled with a rather perverse expression.

Figuring Issei had started fantasizing about something perverse, Shin just shook his head with an amused smile. He didn't snap Issei out of his fantasizing, thinking it would help Issei be more relaxed when the time for the truth comes.

In a few minutes, the two reached the old school building. Turning to Issei, Shin sweatdropped as he saw him still in his fantasy world.

Shrugging, Shin picked up his companion like a sack of potatoes and put him on his shoulder, venturing into the building afterward.

For the club room's window, Akeno watched as Shin carried Issei into the building.

"Looks like Shin-kun brought Hyoudou-kun here like he said" she noted, glancing at her best friend, who was currently behind her desk.

"Already, huh?" Rias sighed a little, leaning back into her chair. "I wanted to give Hyoudou-kun a little more time to get used to his new life, but it looks like he'll have to do that on the go" she said, getting some papers off her desk and putting them in one of the drawers.

"I think Shin-kun may have done us a favor" Akeno noted, gathering some of the tea cups left on the table.

"And why do you say that?" Rias asked curiously.

"Well, think about it. Hyoudou-kun doesn't know he is a Devil yet. That means he's easy prey for Strays. Even worse, if one of those Fallen Angels just happens to cross his path, he'll most likely end up getting stabbed again. And if he's all alone, he's a good as dead" she explained, heading into the other room, beginning to prepare her delicious tea.

"Akeno-san is right, Buchou" Yuuto noted, reading a book on one of the chairs in the corner. "Telling Hyoudou-kun about his situation as soon as possible could potentially save his life in the case of an encounter."

"Hmm, when you put it that, it does seem stupid to leave him in the dark for too long" Rias mumbled, placing a hand on her forehead. "With my family pushing the marriage forward, the stress is starting to get to me. I'm making rookie mistakes..." she sighed, taking in a deep breath, and composing herself as she felt Shin nearing the door.

And soon enough, the door opened-

 ***BANG*-!**

"-Sup?" Shin greeted, having opened the door with a literal 'Bang'. Namely, kicking the door open, causing everyone to jump in surprise.

"Agh, what the-?!...Wait what's happened?" Issei questioned confused, having being brought back to reality by the loud banging sound.

"Oh hey, Sleeping Beauty is finally awake~"

 ***Thud***

As soon as Shin said that, he carelessly tossed Issei on the ground, the poor fellow landing on his face, causing everyone bar Shin to cringe. Said boy released a short chuckle, as he sat on one of the couches.

"Issei Hyoudou everyone" Shin spoke, seeing Issei pick himself off the ground, looking at him annoyed.

"Why did you drop me like that?!" the boy exclaimed, rubbing his sore nose.

"Cuz I needed you to come back to reality" Shin deadpanned, before gesturing around the room, making Issei realize they weren't alone anymore. "I think introductions are in order, first of all."

"Ah, right" Issei noted, quickly standing up and bowing. "U-Uh, hello. My name is Issei Hyoudou. A pleasure to meet you!" he greeted, followed by the occupants of the room.

"Yuuto Kiba. Nice to meet you, Hyoudou-kun~" Yuuto greeted kindly, his smile not faltering.

"Koneko Toujou...Nice to meet you" was the girl's short greeting, before she returned to eating her sweets on the couch opposite of Shin's.

"Akeno-san, are you here?" Shin called, as the raven haired beauty peeked her head through the door.

"I'm here Shin-kun~" she answered, before seeing Issei standing in the room, still bowing. "Ara. You must be Hyoudou Issei, right? I'm Akeno Himejima. A pleasure to make your acquaintance" she smiled, before retreating back into the room.

"And I'm Rias Gremory." the redhead finished the greeting, smiling warmly toward Issei, who had finally raised his head. "Hyoudou-kun, may I call you Ise?" she asked, to which the brunette nodded, scratching his cheek.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Everyone calls me that anyway" he responded, making Rias nod her head. She then stood up, and smiled toward Issei.

"Then, Ise. We, the Occult Research Club, would like to welcome you-" she said shortly.

"A-Ah...okay?" Issei responded with an awkward smile.

"-As a Devil" she continued right after, causing Issei to freeze for a moment.

.

.

"...Say what-now?"

"Here's your tea, Hyoudou-kun~" Akeno said, placing the porcelain cup in front of Issei, who was now seated on the couch.

"Ah, thank you" he said, bowing his head a little. He then grabbed the cup, and drank the tea quickly, a surprised expression appearing on his face. "Hey, this tastes really good."

"Ara ara. Thank you very much" the ravenette replies happily, before taking a seat on the opposite couch, next to Shin.

Said boy was currently enjoying his own tea, a peaceful expression on his face.

"Alright, now that you're settled in, let me get straight to the point. We're all Devils" Rias said in a straightforward tone. Of course, Issei's face displayed confusion once more, as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. "You looked confused. I take it you don't really believe me?"

"W-Well, to be told someone is Devil out of the blue like that, certainly seems like something a whack job would say..." Issei mumbled awkwardly, making Shin snicker lightly, while Rias' eyebrow twitched.

"Alright, I can understand not believing me right away..." the redhead said, taking something from her desk, showing it to Issei. "But you do believe this girl existed, right?"

"-!" Issei's eye opened wide with shock, as the picture in Rias' hand was a picture of Amano Yuuma. Additionally, the picture showed a pair of black, feathery wings protruding from her back.

"You remember this girl, right? Amano Yuuma? You two went on a date the other day, didn't you?" Rias questioned, as Issei's hand tightened.

"W-Where did you get that photo?" he questioned, a range of emotions in his voice.

"Last night was no dream, Issei" Shin stated, placing his cup on the table. Hearing the statement, Issei glanced at Shin with inquiry evident on his face. "You did go out on a date with Amano Yuuma. And you died."

Hearing those three words, seemingly triggered something within Issei, as his eyes opened in shock. The memories from last night, all came rushing right back to Issei.

" _Will you die for me?"_

' _So last night wasn't a dream...'_ Issei thought, remembering how Yuuma asked him that question. He remembered it clearly now. How Yuuma grew a pair of black wings, and stabbed him in the stomach with a spear made of light.

"Now I remember...how she stabbed me" he mumbled sadly, as his hand went to his stomach, where the hole used to be. And then, realization hit him. "B-But wait! There was a hole in my stomach! I..I should've been dead right now!"

"Exactly" Rias spoke, bringing the brunettes attention back to her. "Last night, should've been your last one alive. However-" glancing at Shin, she continued. "-Kurokawa-kun managed to get to you in time, and summoned me through the leaflet in your pocket. One of these, remember?" she pulled out a leaflet bearing her family crest and the message 'We Will Grant Your Wish!', showing it to Issei.

' _That's the same as the one that girl gave to me'_ Issei thought, recognizing the piece of paper. Putting the leaflet on her desk, Rias continued.

"On that night, I picked up your dying life, and brought you back as one of us. A Devil" she stated, a little smile gracing her lips.

"So...I'm really a...a Devil?" Issei mumbled dumbfounded, staring down at his hands.

"If you're still in doubt, then let me ask you" Shin spoke, making Issei look back up at him. "Have you noticed any...difference, with your general being today? Specifically in the morning?" he asked, as the brunette seemed to think for a minute, before opening his eyes in surprise.

"Now that you mention it, I felt really drained this morning. Which is weird, since I usually sleep a healthy amount" he stated, making Shin nod his head.

"And how do you feel now?" he smirked lightly.

"I..I feel better. Stronger, you could say" Issei said surprised.

"That's your new Devil body at play" Rias said, making the boy look at her with the need for an explanation. "Devils are creatures of the night. So it's normal for you to feel drained under the sunlight, while the night invigorates you" and then she smiled. "But you don't have to be afraid of the sunlight. Vampires are the only ones that can die from it"

"So Vampires are real too?" Issei questioned.

"Vampires, Werewolves, Youkai, Gods-" Akeno enumerated, making Issei look at her. "As long people believe in it, it exists"

"Among those mythological beings, Fallen Angels are also a thing, a category in which Yuuma just so happens to fall in" Shin said, taking another sip from his tea.

"Fallen Angels? So that's why she had those black wings?" Issei questioned confused, receiving nods from the people in the room.

"Fallen Angels are basically the normal Angel's shade of gray. They're still made of holy attributes, but aren't exactly pure anymore" the midnight haired boy explained, followed by Rias.

"That's why she killed you with a 'Spear of Light'. It's something Angels and Fallen Angels are capable of" she said, as a question mark appeared over Issei's head.

"But why did she kill me in the first place?" he asked, as Yuuto opened his mouth.

"It's probably because you posses a Sacred Gear."

"A Sacred- what?" Issei tilted his head in confusion, before another memory flashed in his mind.

" _Sorry, but your Sacred Gear was a threat to use, so we had to kill you. If you want to blame someone, blame the God who put that Sacred Gear inside you."_

"Sacred Gears are irregular powers that are given to certain humans upon birth" Rias explained, as Issei snapped out of his little phase. "Most prominent figures of the past used their Sacred Gears to record their names in history."

"And, I have one of these things in me?" Issei questioned, earning a nod from Rias.

"And that's the reason Yuuma -no, Raynare- killed you" Shin stated, as he finished drinking his tea. "Your Sacred Gear posed enough of a threat to have you eliminated."

"I really have something that dangerous inside me…?" the brunette mumbled, making Rias stand up from behind the desk.

"Most Sacred Gears are pretty harmless, only having uses within human society. However, there are certain Sacred Gear that are a threat to beings like us" she noted, sitting on her desk. "Why don't we find out what your Sacred Gear is, hmm? Please stand up" she instructed, crossing her legs. Issei nodded, and stood up as she continued.

"Now raise your left hand"

"O-Okay..." Issei did as instructed, and raised his left hand forward, scratching the back of his head.

"Now, close your eyes and imagine the strongest being you can think of" the redhead said, as Issei closed his eyes.

"Strongest being...Uhh, Son Goku from Dragonball...?" Issei mumbled, before hearing someone sputter, causing him to open his eyes and look to the side.

There, he saw Shin with his hand in front of his mouth, apparently snickering.

"Hey, what're you laughing at?" Issei asked, feeling his eyebrow twitch.

"O-Oh it's nothing~" Shin laughed, making Issei narrow his eyes in suspicion. "It's just that you thinking Goku is strongest is hilarious~"

"Hah?!" Issei exclaimed, feeling his inner nerd surface. "You think there's someone stronger than Goku out there?"

"I don't think, I **know** " Shin declared, a serious expression on his face. "Have you ever heard of One Punch Man?"

"That baldy?" Issei questioned, a strange expression on his face. "If you think that guy is stronger than Goku, you've lost it Kurokawa!"

"Oh?" Shin's eyes narrowed. "I think you're mistaking, Hyoudou. If anyone lost it, it's you for believing Goku can beat Saitama. That monkey needs to power up and scream at the top of his lungs for three full episodes in order to do something Saitama can do in less than 0.3 seconds!"

"Yeah right! Goku can blow up entire planets with ease!" Issei exclaimed, firing up Shin's own inner nerd.

"Unless you forgot, Saitama can K.O someone like Goku with a single punch!" the boy exclaimed, getting in Issei's face.

"One Super Spirit Bomb and 'Mr. Clean' is toast!" he shouted, as the two began butting heads.

"One series of 'Consecutive Serious Punches' will turn Goku into a carrot salad!" Shin replied, quickly overpowering Issei in the little 'bout', causing him to bend backward.

All the while the ORC watched their interaction in confusion, each having a sweatdrop on their heads. Sighing, Rias cleared her throat loudly in order to put an end to the pointless squabble.

"Can we please put the pointless squabble on hold for focus on the issue at hand?" she said, before releasing a breath a glancing to the side. "Everyone knows Luffy is the strongest anyway" she mumbled silently.

However, it wasn't silent enough. Thus, the two teens that were previously butting heads, turned and looked at her with cold expressions.

[Care to pass that by me again?] they both said in unison, glancing at each other and bumping fists. Then they returned to glaring at Rias, who seemingly shrunk under their gaze.

"This, is getting ridiculous"

 ***BANG**BANG***

Koneko, who had somehow managed to sneak behind them, swiftly delivered a devastating punch to both Shin and Issei's midsection, making both of their eyes go wide in shock. Of course, Issei immediately dropped to his knees, his life seemingly seeping out of his mouth.

"Ha..." Shin attempted to laugh, but could barely get a sound out, as all the wind he thought he owned was gone due to Koneko's punch. "I'd laugh at your pathetic state...if I wasn't in a world of pain myself...What the hell do you eat kid…?-*thud*" and with that, Shin was brought to his knees as well, clutching his stomach.

"Should've know the squirt was a Rook...it's poetic justice" Shin mumbled, currently resting on the couch, with his head placed on Akeno's lap, something Issei was quite jealous of.

And speaking of, the boy managed to recover surprisingly fast, and was now back on his feet, in the same position he was in, before the situation degenerated.

"Alright, Ise. Again, picture who you consider to be the strongest being" Rias resumed her instructions.

"Alright, I'm imagining - **Son Goku from Dragonball-!** " he said, making sure Shin heard him.

"Don't push your luck kid..." Shin growled dangerously, making Issei take a tiny step back. "Even like this, I can still kick your ass all over-"

"Alright, now that you imagined it!" Rias exclaimed loudly, cutting Shin off and seemingly ignoring him. "Picture Goku doing his strongest attack, and mimic that pose"

"E-Eh? For real?" Issei sweatdropped, picturing himself doing the Kamehameha pose. "Can't I just yell the name or something…?"

"No. Now follow my instructions and do it quickly" Rias urged, making Issei swallow hard.

' _Dammit, this is so embarrassing!'_ he yelled in his mind, closing his eyes, bringing his hands together and rearing back. Then, he thrust them forward and yelled.

"Kamehameha!"

 ***CLICK***

"-Wait was that?" Issei questioned, not opening his eyes, after having heard something like a camera click.

"Oh nothing~" hearing Shin's voice, followed by snickering from more than one person, made Issei regret doing what he just did.

"Ignore that, Ise" Rias spoke. "Open your eyes. In this place, you Sacred Gear should appear more easily"

Issei did as instructed, and slowly opened his eyes.

 ***GLOW***

And as he did, his left arm started glowing, his eyes opening in surprise. The light then gathered into a form that covered his arm. And as the light disappeared, a red gauntlet with a jewel embedded into it remained behind.

"W-What the hell is thiii-argh?!" Issei began to screamed, before a sugar cube of all things nailed him right in the forehead with enough force to actually make his head bend backward.

"We're all right here you idiot. There's no need to scream like a savage" Shin reprimanded, looking at Issei annoyed.

"Well how else would you expect me to react?!" the brown haired boy exclaimed, rubbing his forehead. "I have a freaking gauntlet on my hand that appeared out of thin air!" he showed Shin the red gauntlet, only to be ignored by the teen who simply snuggled into Akeno's lap, making her chuckle.

"Such a needy boy~ Ufufu~"

Issei sweatdropped, looking blankly at the two, before Rias cleared throat, making him pay attention to her again.

"That, is your Sacred Gear, Ise" she said, smiling at the boy. "Now that it appeared, you can call upon it anytime."

"So this is my Sacred Gear huh…?" Issei mumbled, staring at his shiny gauntlet, before his expression fell. "So this is why Yuuma-chan killed me huh?"

"Yes, that is the reason the Fallen Angel killed you" Rias confirmed with a nod. "And on that very night, you were reborn a Devil under Rias Gremory. Namely, as my servant Devil~" she smiled, standing back up and looking at her friends. "Everyone, let's reintroduce ourselves. Yuuto?"

Kiba stepped forward and bowed.

"Hello, Hyoudou-kun. I'm Yuuto Kiba, a second year like yourself. I'm also a Devil under Rias Gremory. It's nice to meet you."

Next was Koneko, who simply glanced at Issei and bobbed her head.

"Koneko Toujou...First-year...Also a Devil. Nice to meet you." was her short introduction, making Issei sweatdrop a bit.

Then, he looked at Akeno, who stopped playing with Shin's hair in order to give Issei her full attention, and bowed her head.

"As you know, my name is Akeno Himejima. I'm a third year at the academy and also the Vice-President of this club. Even though I'm like this, I'm also a Devil~ It's nice to make your acquaintance, Hyoudou-kun. Ufufu~"

And from there, Rias took over.

"And I'm Rias Gremory, their master as well as a Devil from the House of Gremory, which holds the rank of Duke. Let's get along from now on, okay Ise?" she smiled kindly.

PA!

And at that moment, black wings sprouted from the backs of the Devils present. They weren't like Raynare's however, as these wings seemed closer to bat wings. A pair also sprouted from Issei's back, causing the teen's eyes to widen.

"Hehe. Issei's expression right now reminds me of a line I read in a book years ago" Shin chuckled, before looking to the side and thinning his voice. "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" he said amused.

"What about you Kurokawa?" Issei questioned, a few minutes after the introduction. "Are you a Devil too?" at that, Shin laughed.

"Me? A servant like you?" he questioned, amusement clear in his voice. "Hell will freeze over before **I** turn into a servant" he stated, making the ORC raise an eyebrow at the statement, since he seemed willing to do it last night before the whole incident with the Evil Pieces.

"But you're technically a servant under Serafall" Rias stated, looking at Shin curiously. The boy spared her a glance, before closing his eyes.

"I'm only acting as her servant because I have a hunch she would've kept bugging me about it until I caved" he sighed. "Besides, you saw that her Pieces didn't work, so I couldn't really become her servant either way." shrugging his shoulders, he let himself sink into Akeno's lap further. Issei was confused as to what these 'Pieces' were, but couldn't voice it as Rias spoke.

"Speaking of, it seems she already spoke with Ajuka-sama about it" she said, making Shin crack one eye open, as he raised his eyebrow. "I'm certain he'll want to speak to you in the future"

' _Just great...'_ Shin sighed in his mind, before closing his eye again. "Afraid he'll have to wait for that. I'm pretty busy as of late"

"Busy? With what?" Rias inquired, prompting Shin to wave her off.

"You'll probably learn soon enough" he said, making Rias raise an eyebrow.

 ***RIIINGG***

"Huh?" Shin questioned, as his phone suddenly started ringing. Looking at the caller ID, he raised an eyebrow, his expression displaying confusion.

"Hello?" he said, closing his eyes again, as the Devil in the room watched curiously. However, they didn't exactly expect to actually hear the caller.

" **Nii-chan I need your help!"** the voice of a young girl exclaimed, clearly panicking.

 ***THUD***

While the other were simply surprised at the voice, Shin -who actually knew the person- suddenly jumped at hearing the panic in the girl's voice, landing on the floor. Appearing back up, he spoke fast.

"What?! What happened?! Did someone attack you?! Are you guys safe?!" Shin exclaimed, apparently panicking as well, making the Devil in the room open their eyes wide.

" **She's angry Nii-chan! She said she'll cut off my tails!"** the little girl exclaimed, though this time in a hushed tone. But then, another voice was heard from the other side of the call. **_'Ku-chaan~ Come out, wherever you are~ I promise not to hurt you~… That much!'_** another female voice was heard, coming from further away, followed by the squeak of the young girl.

The second voice seemed older, very likely belonging to a girl about Shin's age. And although she called out sounding very calm, the last bit was anything **but** calm.

"Hold on was that...Alright, what did you do Chibiko?" Shin deadpanned, all of his earlier panic disappearing within an instant.

" **I-I didn't do anything Nii-chan! I s-swear!"** the child said, obviously lying. Confirmed by the second voice calling out again. _**'Come out you little brat! Auntie Jeanne will teach you what happens when you practice your flames on her clothes!'**_ the older woman shouted, making Shin's expression turn blank.

"...You used her clothes as targets... didn't you?" he asked flatly.

" **I didn't mean to burn them completely! I simply wanted to practice throwing my fire balls, but I accidentally used more fire than needed and set the clothes ablaze...'** the little girl said, going much more quiet toward the end.

"Well, where are the guards? Your mother? Anyone?!" he exclaimed confused.

" **Okaa-san had to go to a super important meeting, so she took all the guards with her! She said Jeanne-chan would protect me, but now she's the one going after me! And she's getting close! You need to get here Nii-"**

" **Found ya!"**

" **KYAA!-"** and with that, the call ended suddenly, causing Shin to look at his phone and sweatdrop.

"I..I think I'm gonna go now...Apparently I have a family feud to solve. Preferably before someone ends up getting stabbed or burned alive.." he mumbled with a massive sweatdrop, placing the phone back in his pocket.

"Family feud? Was that girl your sister? Since she called you 'Nii-chan'" Akeno began, as Shin stood up and walked away from the couches into an open spot in the room.

"I'm still not 18, so I needed a legal Guardian. That was my guardians actual daughter, and even though we're not really related, her daughter has taken to calling me her 'Big Brother' regardless" he said, before a light blue octagon with various symbols appeared under him, taking the Devils present by surprise. "I'll be back in a jiffy. Also" he then turned to Rias. "If you can, tell Sona I need to speak to her. We'll be getting a new student."

And with that, Shin vanished in a blue glow, leaving the ORC staring at the spot he stood in just a moment ago.

"I...think I understand why he's so busy apparently..." Rias noted awkwardly, as a sweatdrop appeared on her face.

Inside an unknown japanese styled room, the same blue octagon lit up. And within moments, Shin appeared in the room.

"Alright, I'm back in my room it seems" the boy noted, looking around the room. Not much was in there, bar some clothes he recognized as being his, hurriedly stuffed in some of the drawers. "I don't remember leaving any clothes here. Only those Jeanne took for casual wear..." he mumbled, narrowing his eyes.

" _Stop running dammit!"_

" _No! I'm not letting you cut off my tails!"_

His observation was cut off by the two familiar voice, coming from outside his room. Swiftly making his way out of the room, he ended up in a hallway on the second floor. Going over to the railings, he glanced down where he the racket was happening.

There, he saw a young girl with golden hair, wearing a traditional miko outfit running away from a girl with long blonde hair, who seemed to be around Shin's age.

The unusual thing about the scene, was that the little girl had a pair of golden fox ears on top of her head, as well as nine golden fox tails. Tails, which she currently kept in front of her, as the girl chasing her was holding a shiny sword.

' _I never thought I'd see Jeanne this riled up, but I guess since the whole 'fire' ordeal is a taboo for her, I should've expected this'_ he thought sweatdropping. However, his eyes widened as the young girl slipped and fell down, the girl Shin knew as Jeanne readying her sword.

At that moment, a magic circle of golden light appeared at Shin's hand, the boy himself leaping from the railing down below, just as Jeanne raised her sword.

 **In the moments prior…**

"Kyaa-!" the young girl exclaimed, as she slipped on the wooden floor and fell down. Immediately turning around, she saw Jeanne looking at her with a rather calm smile, considering she had a gleaming sharp sword in her hand.

"Nowhere left to run, little fox~" the foreign beauty sang, raising her sword. And then, the sword fell.

STAB!

"Kya?!" ..in the form of an actual blade that fell down, stabbing itself into the floor in front of the little girl, causing her to shriek in surprise.

CLANG!

-however, the blade also stopped Jeanne's own sword, as she struck the golden guard.

"This is-?!" she exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the sword.

TAP-

"I think this has gone on for long enough" Shin stated, landing on the sword in the floor, his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face.

"S-Shi-chan…?" Jeanne took a step back, as the sword in her hand disappeared. She then smiled awkwardly. "W-What a surprise to see you...heheh~.."

"I bet" the boy noted, stepping off the sword and unto the floor. The sword then disappeared into a glow of golden light.

"Nii-chan you're finally here!" the young girl exclaimed, immediately latching on to Shin's back. "I was so afraid! I thought Jeanne-chan was going to make a coat out of my tails-!"

She didn't get to continue however, as Shin effortlessly picked her up and held her by her miko outfit. Then, he made her face him, the girl gaining a sweatdrop on her face.

"And how did it get to that exactly?" he questioned, making the girl in his hand shrink slightly.

"...I played with fire..." she mumbled, making Shin nod his head.

"Couldn't have said it better myself" he said, placing the girl on her feet. "I remember your mother clearly telling you **not** to practice your flames without her or my supervision. Do I remember wrong?"

"W-Well...no" the young girl mumbled, looking at the ground.

"Good. Then -Jeanne you stay right here-." he stated mid-sentence, causing the blonde beauty -who was trying to sneak away- to stop dead in her tracks.

"E-Ehehe..." she chuckled unevenly, scratching the back of her head. Shin then turned his sights back on the young girl in front of him.

"Now I'm no parent, nor am I actually related to you, so I can't pass punishment. I'll leave that job to your mother" he stated, as the girl's sweatdrop increased in size.

"You on the other hand-" he swiftly turned to Jeanne, who turned rather rigid under his gaze. "I'm afraid I can't let you off so easy."

"B-But Ku-chan was the one who burned my favorite clothes! Why am I the one getting the bad punishment...?" she exclaimed, before seemingly shrinking as Shin stepped closer to her.

"Because you are much older than her. She's still a child. This is how children learn" he then surprised Jeanne, by patting her on the head. "You on the other hand, were supposed to be the one watching over her..." and then, his grip tightened, causing Jeanne to pale slightly. "Which means, making sure she didn't burn your clothes was your job from the beginning."

But ultimately, he sighed and let go of Jeanne's hand, taking a look around the room. And he sweatdropped, at the many slash marks on the various walls and pillars.

"I'll think of your punishment later. For now, let's focus on getting the palace fixed before-"

"-Before what, exactly?" another voice called from behind the three, causing the two girls to turn rigid, while Shin simply glanced back.

"Ah, you're finally back. How have you been, Yasaka?" Shin questioned, as a small smile appeared on his face, upon noticing the new figure standing at the entrance.

There, surrounded by a handful of crow Youkai, was a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure, wearing a traditional shrine maiden attire. Interestingly enough, the woman bore a striking resemblance to the young girl.

With her nine golden fox tails swishing behind her, the leader of the Youkai gave Shin a kind smile.

"It's not that I mind you being here, but you could've called before arriving, Shin. I would've come to pick you up" she said, making Shin chuckle.

"I'm afraid I only came here after a distress call from Chibiko~" he smiled, causing Yasaka to open her eyes in surprise, while the little girl to shrink lightly, without turning around.

"Distress? Kunou, what happened?" Yasaka asked her daughter, who turned around sheepishly.

"W-Well...I wanted to surprise you by improving my Fox Fire while you were away-"

"And burned my clothes in the process!" Jeanne cut her off, causing Kunou to shrink a bit. Hearing this, Yasaka gained a stern expression.

"Kunou, while I'm proud of you for wanting to improve yourself, I clearly told you not to use your flames without proper supervision" the mother reprimanded her child, making a smirk of victory appear on Jeanne's face.

"Buuut, since Jeanne was supposed to look after Kunou, it's technically her fault for allowing the little one to burn her clothes" Shin said, putting a hand on both Jeanne and Kunou's heads. "Which means, they're both about as guilty as the other. So you can wipe that grins off your face, Jeanne" he smiled, as blonde in question sweatdropped, both her and the young kitsune dipping their heads.

"I knew I should've left some guards here..," Yasaka sighed, shaking her head lightly. However, she gained a small smile, looking at the two girls. "But, since both of you are unharmed, and the palace is still in standing condition, I guess I can overlook this little incident" she said, causing the two girl to perk up.

"Thanks, Okaa-san! You're the best!" Kunou exclaimed, hugging her mother.

"You're not out of the woods yet, young lady" Yasaka spoke without skipping a beat, her smile still present.

"..Eh?" Kunou questioned, looking at her mother. Said woman looked down at the young girl with a teasing smile.

"Since you seemed so eager to improve, I'll make sure to free up my schedule so we can fit a few more training lessons in there. And that means, your free time is getting cut as well. No more anime for the rest of the month" she said, as the color drained from Kunou's face.

"W-What?! Okaa-san, not my anime!" she pleaded, however Yasaka simply looked back at Shin with a smile.

"And Shin can't sneak you any anime either" she said simply.

"Wasn't planning on it regardless, but sure" Shin shrugged his shoulders, making Yasaka nod her head.

"Well, now that we've settled that, can anybody tell me what happened to our hallway?" Yasaka questioned, glancing around her at the slashed pillars and doors. Now it was Jeanne's turn to look sheepish.

"Jeanne-chan chased me around with her swords, threatening to cut my tails!" Kunou exclaimed, pointing at the blonde girl.

"Is that so?" Yasaka wondered, looking at Jeanne with a raised eyebrow, causing the girl to shrink under her gaze. "Jeanne, I know she apparently burned your clothes, but that's no reason to scare Kunou like that." the golden haired fox said, as Jeanne nodded her head like a scolded child.

"Hai...Sorry..." she apologized, as Kunou gained the victory smirk.

"I won't say anything, since I am well aware of your relationship with fire-" she said, as Jeanne rubbed her arm, an uncomfortable expression on her face. "-but I expect you to be more prudent in the future -Kunou stop that." Yasaka bopped her daughter on the top of her head, because she was sticking her tongue out at Jeanne.

"I understand, Yasaka-san..." Jeanne said, bowing her head.

"Haah...First a meeting as a Leader, and then a meeting as a mother and guardian...My life sure can be tiring" Yasaka said, releasing a short breath. At this, Shin raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Speaking of. Chibiko said you went to a 'super important meeting', in her words" he said, looking at the child amused. "What was it about?"

"We discussed some things regarding you, actually" Yasaka stated, making Shin's eyes open in surprise. Yasaka turned to one of the guards that was quietly standing by, and nodded he head.

The guard then wordlessly stepped forward, and produced an item wrapped in a cloth, and sealed with a paper seal. Yasaka then took the item, and undid the seal, before turning to Shin.

"Amaterasu-sama, along with some of the other Gods, have decided it was time the sword found an owner" she stated, handing Shin the apparent sword.

The boy took it, almost immediately feeling the surge of power coming from the sword. Undoing the wrapping, he was presented with a straight, slick black scabbard. Or that's what he saw, as the swords handle matched the scabbard and possessed no guard.

Raising an eyebrow, Shin glanced at Yasaka.

"Not that I mind, but what made Amaterasu want to give one of the Imperial Regalia to me of all people?" he questioned, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Well one reason would be your currently unparalleled swordsmanship" Yasaka answered simply. "That, coupled with your uncanny affinity to weapons of great power, made the Gods consider you as the head candidate for wielding this sword."

"Alright" Shin nodded his head, glancing at the sword, before looking back at the Leader. "And the **real** reason?"

"You were the one to retrieve the sword after it was stolen during it's repairing process. And then you used it to cut down the group of thieves" she responded without missing a beat. "Takamagahara has agreed that you should be the one to wield that blade. Especially since you'll have to keep the town of Kuoh away from harm in the future" she said, making Shin perk up.

"So that means-" he began, only to stop as Yasaka merely nodded her head.

"You shall receive the official documents sometime soon. I can call you when it's time to pick them up, if you want?"

"It's fine. I think I'll drop by next weekend. This week just became unavailable" he said, intriguing Yasaka.

"Is that so? Would you like to stay over for some tea, and tell me what happened?" she suggested, however Shin shook his head.

"That's the thing. I'm already on a little bit of a time crunch. I got a job from Azazel the other day" he said, as Yasaka's expression turned serious.

"The Governor-General of the Fallen Angels? What could he want from you again?" she questioned, as Shin wrapped the scabbard back in it's cloth.

"Some of his subordinates have gone rogue. Since they're on the outskirts of Kuoh, he hired me to retrieve them before they can do something stupid and reignite the war"

"The Governor seems rather reliant on you these days" Yasaka noted, narrowing her eyes a little. "Seems like his supposed 'wickedness' has been replaced by laziness."

"Is that a bad thing though?" Shin questioned, genuinely confused.

"No, but it's certainly not the quality of a leader" she said, crossing her arms over her rather sizable bust.

"He's managed to keep the Fallen Angels alive for centuries now, so he must be doing **something** right" Shin noted, strapping his newly acquired sword to his back.

"Aren't you going to try it out, Shi-chan?" Jeanne questioned, curious as to what the sword could actually do.

"The palace has enough slash marks already" the boy said, causing a sweatdrop to appear on Jeanne's face. Then, he looked at Yasaka again. "Could you place a seal on the sword to stop it from leaking all that Holy energy? I can't exactly walk into a place full of Devils with a sword that screams 'DIVINE'. Having Jeanne with me will put them on enough of an edge"

"Wait, what?" Jeanne perked up, hoping she heard what she thought she heard.

"Oops, I guess I ruined the surprise" Shin grinned, immediately getting glomped by the blonde.

"Yes! Finally! I'm gonna make new friends! Ooh, I can't wait~" she sang, causing Shin to chuckle.

"Yes, yes, now go and get your stuff ready. If you're not here by the time we sealed up the sword I'm leaving without-"

 **WHOOSHH**

"-...you" Shin didn't even get to finish his sentence, as the bubbly girl bolted to her room, not wanting to be left behind.

Shaking his head, he glanced back at Yasaka.

"Well, do you think you can help me out with the sword?" he questioned, as Yasaka chuckled lightly.

"Of course Shin. Here, turn around" she said, taking out a paper seal.

Shin did as instructed, and spun around, letting Yasaka place the paper seal on the cloth covering the sword. She then imbued it with magic, as the kanji character for 'Seal' appeared on the paper.

"Alright, looks like it's working" Shin noted, turning around again. "Thanks for the help"

"Don't mention it, Shin" Yasaka smiled, before it turned into something more...flirty. "But you know, it's really cruel that you leave after just getting here. I thought we could...'catch up'~" she whispered, moving closer to Shin as her tails wrapped themselves around his frame. "I've been feeling quiet lonely these weeks..." placing his arm between her boobs, she leaned close to his face, the boy simply looking at her amused.

"And after all these meeting, I have quite the amount of stress that I need to...work off~" she whispered seductively into his ear, Shin being able to feel her hot breath.

"K-Kaa-san!" before things could escalated, the two were interrupted by the youngest in the room.

"Nii-chan is mine! You can't steal him from me!" a red-faced Kunou exclaimed, waving her arms around.

"Don't be like that Kunou. You're still far too young for such things. Besides, didn't you say you always wanted a younger brother? Well, Shin and I might just give you one~" the older kitsune said, laughing as the young girls face turned beet red.

"N-No! I won't allow it! You'll corrupt Nii-chan!" she exclaimed, pulling Shin away from Yasaka's grasp, causing the woman to laugh some more at her daughters attempt to keep her big brother figure 'pure'.

"Ah, looks like the soundproof barriers were useful after all~" Yasaka mumbled amused, before a loud banging came from upstairs.

And soon enough, the bubbly blonde known as Jeanne came bounding in, carrying a rather large suitcase with her. Seeing the suitcase, Shin sweatdropped.

"You...do know that you can just buy more clothes once we're in Kuoh, right? Your suitcase seems about ready to burst..." he noted, looking at the suitcase that was dangerously close to bursting open.

"Oh, don't worry about it~ It'll hold just fine~ Now let's go Shi-chan!" Jeanne exclaimed happily, making Shin chuckle.

"Alright then let's get back home. But keep in mind, we'll meet with the Devil's in Kuoh as soon as we step out of the magic circle. Be on your best behavior you hear me?" he warned, getting waved off by the energetic girl.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything crazy~ Now come ooonn" she pleaded, jumping in place.

"Okay, fine" turning to Yasaka and Kunou, Shin smiled and bowed his head slightly. "See you two next week. Be sure to behave while I'm gone, alright Chibiko?" he said amused, as Kunou pouted cutely. But she still smiled nonetheless.

"Seeya, Nii-chan!" she waved, getting a wave in return.

"Stay safe out there Shin" Yasaka said, a small smile on her face. "Be sure to call if something happens."

"I will, don't worry" Shin chuckled, as the light blue octagon lit up under his and Jeanne's feet.

"Bye Ku-chan~ Bye Yasaka-san~" Jeanne waved happily, as the two became enveloped in a blue light, disappearing together with the teleportation circle.

Inside the ORC clubroom, the door opened.

"You wanted to talk to me, Rias?" Sona asked her friend and fellow Devil, upon entering the clubroom.

After Shin took off, Rias saw it fit to explain some more things to Issei, such as the current situation between the three factions, the jobs of a devil and the rankings of Devils, using Shin's absence to give Issei an incentive to do his best as a Devil, by telling him he could become the 'Harem King'.

After Issei went home, the remaining club members waited for Shin's return, Sona having just been brought to the clubroom by Akeno.

"A good evening Sona" Rias greeted, sorting through some of the papers on her desk. "And it's actually Kurokawa-kun that wanted to talk to you"

"Kurokawa-san?" Sona wondered, looking around the room. "Well, where is he?" she asked, seeing only Yuuto and Koneko present in the room, bar the two Kings and Queen.

"He's-"

 ***GLOW*-**

"-Right here" Shin's voice resounded, as his magic circle lit up in the room.

And in a strong glow, two figures appeared from the circle. One was Shin, however the Devils present didn't know who the second person was. Nor why she had a giant suitcase with her.

"Ah, Kurokawa-kun, you're finally back" Rias greeted, leaning back in her chair. "Did you sort out the 'family feud'?" she asked, glancing at Shin's companion with curiosity.

"It's sorted alright. The little one got her punishment from her mother" he then patted the girl on the head. "And I decided to take the other trouble maker home with me so I can keep an eye on her"

"It's nice to meet you everyone~ I'm Shi-chan's technical sister. The name's Jeanne~" the young girl waved happily, seemingly filling the room with positive energy. However, the other blonde in the room seemed to feel something else from the girl, making his eyes narrow.

"'Technical sister'?" Sona asked confused, prompting Shin to explain.

"I think you're aware how I'm a former Exorcist, right? Jeanne used to be part of the Church as well, but...ended up with the wrong people" he said, as Jeanne began rubbing her arm again. "I found her in a pretty bad state and we sort of stuck together ever since. Since we both have the same legal guardian, we're technically siblings now. So that's why 'technical sister'" he said, making Sona nod her head in understanding.

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you then, Jeanne-san. My name is Sona Sitri" the short haired girl greeted, bowing her head. Jeanne smiled and waved, letting her childish side keep shining through.

"Is this the 'new student' you talked about, Kurokawa-kun?" Rias asked, prompting Shin to nod his head.

"Since she'll be living with me, she'll have to go to school too" he said, glancing at Sona. "Do you think you could help me out Sitri-senpai?"

"Well, it's certainly on a very short notice, but I think I can get it done by tomorrow" Sona replied, adjusting her glasses. "But she won't have a uniform ready that fast."

"Oh no worries~" Jeanne exclaimed, searching through the openings of her suitcase, pulling out the Kuoh girl uniform. "I took the liberty of getting one of these when Shi-chan started school~"

"..Okay" Sona said, surprised at the girl's eagerness. She then turned to Rias. "I'll go get Jeanne-san's papers ready. I'll give you the papers later, Rias. In the meanwhile, why don't you introduce yourselves as well?"

"Well, we don't have any contracts tonight, so we might as well" Rias said, as Sona gave a short nod and left the room. Rias then glanced at Jeanne with a smile. "It's nice to meet you Jeanne-san. My name is Rias Gremory" she said, bowing her head slightly.

"Hello~" Jeanne waved, before looking at Akeno.

"I'm Akeno Himejima. A pleasure to meet you, Jeanne-san. Ufufu" Akeno greeted in her usual tone, gathering the cups of tea left on the table.

Jeanne's eyes then landed on the small white haired girl, quietly eating sweets in the corner. Feeling eyes on her, Koneko glanced up and bowed her head shortly.

"Koneko Toujou...Nice to meet you."

And then there was only one left. Unfortunately, things seemed to go south from here, as Yuuto kept staring intently at Jeanne, who had a cute expression on her face.

"Yuuto?" Rias questioned, sensing the tense air.

"The air around you..." Yuuto mumbled, as his eyes narrowed. Shin began feeling dark intent coming from Yuuto, making Shin eye him up carefully. "That air is sending chills down my spine. You radiate holy energy" he stated, surprising the Devils in the room, who only now began feeling it.

 ***GLOW***

However, as a sword suddenly appeared in Yuuto's hand, things became really tense.

"There's no mistaking it...You're a Holy Sword wielder, aren't you?" Yuuto said in a low tone, pointing his sword at Jeanne, who seemed barely fazed.

"I can use holy swords, yeah~" she sang, her smile still present.

Hearing her chipper voice, made Yuuto grit his teeth, as he clutched his sword tighter.

"Then you must have some sort of connection to Excalibur..!" he growled, making Shin's eyes widen in recognition.

' _Now I get it. The air when he asked me to spar earlier. So he's the child who survived the Holy Sword Project. Damn...If only I had arrived just a little earlier, I could've caught up to him and he wouldn't have become a devil..'_ Shin thought, narrowing his eyes slightly, whilst thinking back on his days within the Church.

"The Holy Sword Excalibur? I have heard of it briefly, but no, I can't actually wield it. It's too strong for a wee lass like me~" Jeanne responded to Yuuto's accusations in her usual childish manner, making a sweatdrop appear on Yuuto's face. She then turned and pointed at the boy next to her with a happy expression. "Shi-chan on the other hand, can wield Excalibur with no problem. He's a natural Holy Sword wielder, and can wield even the strongest of Holy Swords~"

Silence befell the room, at Jeanne's revelation.

Everyone's eyes opened wide, for different reasons. Rias and Akeno opened their eyes wide in shock, having had no clue that a Holy Sword wielder was among their rank all this time, whereas Koneko was simply surprised at the revelation.

Now, Yuuto on the other hand. He opened his eyes in anger. With a number of bad memories flooding his mind, he tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword and grit his teeth.

As for Shin…

 ***SMACK***

Well, he simply facepalmed at how Jeanne just blurted that out. And the girl realized that as well, turning sheepish.

"O-Oops… I shouldn't have said that, right Shi-chan?" she sweatdropped while scratching the back of her head.

"Well, I've a feeling it would've been revealed regardless in the future, but we could've avoided quite a bit of trouble..." the boy sighed, before focusing his sights back on Yuuto, who seemed, less than calm right now.

"So **you** are a wielder of Excalibur... My initial vibe of you was right. You're linked to that disgusting sword!" he spat out, although Shin didn't seem bothered in the least.

"Look I understand being mad, considering what happened during the Holy Sword Project, but you're directing your anger toward the wrong thing buddy" Shin said, shocking Yuuto, along with Rias and Akeno further.

"So you even know about the Holy Sword Project?" Yuuto growled again, narrowing his eyes considerably. "Were you in cahoots with **him**?!"

"If by 'him' you mean Valper, then no" Shin answered calmly, seeing Yuuto show a disgusted expression at the mention of the name.

"Then how do you know about it?!" the blonde barked, Shin remaining indifferent.

"Because I was the one the Church dispatched to end the Project. My job was to take care of the researchers and capture Valper and bring him back to the Vatican, along with any survivor I found. As you're standing before me as a Devil, I obviously arrived too late" the midnight haired teen explained, rendering the room silent.

However it didn't last, as Yuuto clicked his tongue.

"That can't be...You're no older than me. That means you would've been a child like the rest of us! A single child couldn't have been strong enough to deal with all of those scientists!" he exclaimed, looking at Shin through narrowed eyes.

However, what Kiba said made something within Shin's mind snap a little. And as Shin's eyes narrowed, the same pressure as before descended through the room making everyone have a little trouble breathing.

"Of course a weakling like you would say that" Shin spat coldly. "Remember I'm a natural Holy Sword wielder. I have absolutely no problem controlling the power of a blade like Excalibur. So I was more than a match for those grunt scientists. Unlike you and your little friends."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Shin comment sent Yuuto over the edge, which prompted the Knight to lunge at Shin ready to cut him down.

"Yuuto stop!" Rias attempted to prevent what was about to happen in vain, as Yuuto almost immediately reached Shin and raised his blade high.

 ***GLOW***

However, like before, a golden glow appeared at Shin's hand, before revealing a long blade that seemingly appeared out of thin air in Shin's hand.

The blade itself was a straight, one-edged blade made of shiny silver with intricate carving running along the blade and hilt, which consisted of solid gold.

 **BREAK**

And with a single swing of his own sword, Shin had shattered Yuuto's demonic sword with ease, causing the eyes of the devils in the room to widen. Jeanne still had her normal peppy smile up, as she was already fully aware of Shin's skills with a blade.

Seeing his blade disappear before his eyes, Yuuto clicked his tongue and jumped back to gain some distance.

"Yuuto, that's enough!" Rias stood up, having had enough of the current confrontation. "Let's all calm down alright?" she said, trying to defuse the situation before her only Knight ended up in waters too deep to get out of.

"Humpf. Tell that to your Knight. I'm as cool as a cucumber, not to mention he attacked first" Shin huffed out, shrugging his shoulders while holding his sword in a reverse grip to show he was indifferent to what was happening.

Fortunately, by some act of God...or Satan in this case, a blue magic circle appeared on the floor in the clubroom, before the hyperactive Maou Serafall popped out with her beaming smile.

"Shi-chaaan~" and of course, she immediately latched onto Shin, causing the boy to sweatdrop, while Jeanne was confused. The Devil's froze though, hoping Serafall wouldn't be angry about what just went down.

"Guess what Shi-chan? Ajuka-chan is free and would like to meet you! Isn't that awesome? We can finally figure out why my pieces didn't work~" she said cutely, looking like a child about to go into the toy store.

' _...Fuuuuck! Dammit, gotta come up with a plan quick. I can't let him figure it out, otherwise it could hinder my entire plan!'_ Shin panicked a bit in his mind, having not expected Ajuka to want to see him right now.

While Shin was in his own thought, Serafall noticed the awkward silence in the room. Looking around she saw Rias and her peerage just looking at her wide eyed with a hint of concern, then she saw the new face standing next to her in the form of Jeanne.

"Oh, a new face! And a cute one at that~ Who are you cutie pie?" Serafall asked the young blonde, little starts twinkling in her big violet eyes.

"I'm Shin's technical sister, Jeanne! It's nice to meet you!" Jeanne answered in the same peppy tone, reciprocating Serafall's own upbeat nature.

"'Technical' sister? What?" Serafall tilted her head in confusion, as Jeanne began explaining the same thing Shin explained to Sona a while ago.

And while she was doing that, Rias wondered how Serafall could be her usual bubbly self, while the one she was clinging to was holding a sword that was radiating Holy Energy. She didn't notice at first due to the initial shock of Yuuto's attack, but the shiver's it sent down her spine made it very apparent once things settled down.

"Oh, I see now~" Serafall cheered, after Jeanne finished explaining. She then turned to Shin with her usual childlike smile. "How nice of you Shi-chan! To save this nice young girl and take care of her until you both found a home~ You deserve a reward!"

And then Serafall promptly grabbed Shin's head and buried it between her sizable boobs, smothering the young boy. Said boy desperately trying to escape as he was running out of oxygen.

But as he was flailing his arms, he also made Serafall aware of the sword in his hand.

"Oh would you look at that! What are you doing with the Excalibur fragment Shi-chan?" the Maou asked normally, while the Gremory peerage opened their eyes wide at the revelation that the blade was a piece of Excalibur.

' _Excalibur...If that sword had cut Yuuto, he would've been in serious trouble'_ Rias gulped, thinking of what would've happened to her servant if Shin hadn't simply defended himself and actually retaliated.

"Yuuto and I had a little...altercation" Shin responded, causing Serafall to look back at the blonde haired young man who froze up.

"Now now, Yuuto-chan. I understand you and Excalibur aren't on the best of terms, but that's no reason to take out your frustration on the wielders of the fragments. I will overlook this for now, but next time you try and attack my cutest Queen, I will have to become serious, m'kay~?" even though she that with a smile on her face, Yuuto understood that the warning was still very serious, and so her bowed his head deeply.

 **SPURT**

But as he bent his body forward, a large gash across his chest just manifested, some blood splattering from the wound.

"Gah!" followed by the boy himself coughing up some blood before stumbling backward and falling on his ass.

[Yuuto/kun/senpai!] his fellow devils exclaimed in shock, hurrying to help him.

"Almost five minutes. That's a new record" hearing Shin mumbling, they all looked toward Shin, who had just put his phone away after checking the time. "Don't worry, he'll live through it. I purposely held back so I wouldn't outright cleave him in half.

"B-But how?!" Rias was shocked to say the least, while Yuuto and the rest of the ORC looked on in disbelief.

Shin simply scoffed, and presented his sword toward the young devils.

"This, is Excalibur Galatine. The second strongest fragment behind Excalibur Ruler. It's blade is approximately 30 inches long. In layman terms, if you get within 30 inches of my body, you better hope that your reflexes are faster than mine, or your sword is more durable than Galatine. As I've demonstrated earlier, neither Kiba or his sword fulfilled those requirements" the boy explained simply, as his sword became engulfed in a golden light once more, before vanishing.

"I was an Exorcist for the majority of my childhood Kiba. I've cut down hundreds of stray devils over the years" Shin stated, fixing Yuuto with a hard stare. "You should be grateful that you're a treasured member of someone's peerage. If you had been any other devil that came swinging at me, I would have cut you down without hesitation."

The serious tone in Shin's voice carried the full extent of that warning, and the pressure the boy was exerting only solidified the point.

Yuuto remained silent, staring at the ground gritting his teeth slightly. What Shin said was true, but his pride was still damaged because of his defeat at the hands on an Excalibur wielder.

 **BONK**

"Oww! What the-?!" the serious air in the room was quickly dispersed when Shin was bonked on the head courtesy of Serafall, causing a noticeable bump on the boy's head.

"Bad Shi-chan! Hurting a member of someone else's peerage is a no-no!" Serafall reprimanded, wielding a rolled up magazine and wearing a pout on her lips. "If Yuuto-chan didn't pose a threat to you, then you should've just disarmed him and let Rias-chan deal with him as his King!"

Getting reprimanded, by Serafall of all people, made Shin slightly shrink in his spot. Jeanne, who had been silent this whole time, giggled and secretly took some photos of Shin getting scolded on her smartphone, in order to show Yasaka at later times.

"Tch...I don't need no kid to reprimand me…!" Shin mumbled, crossing his arms and releasing a huff.

That was, until Serafall gripped his ear causing him to let out a yelp of surprise, before a blue magic circle appeared under her and Shin's feet. They were then enveloped in a blue light, before disappearing altogether as they teleported to the Underworld where the Maou Ajuka Beelzebub awaited for them.

Left alone in the room, the people present stayed silent.

"...Sooo..." until Jeanne raised her hand. Getting everyone's attention, she released an awkward giggle. "I...I don't actually know where Shi-chan lives soo...c-could I maybe wait here until they come back, ehehe..?"

Everyone present, then shared one big sweatdrop.

 **That's a wrap~**

 **A lot of things happened in this chapter huh? Fanservice, some new characters, and even a confrontation with small revelations to Shin's history.**

 **A history that will be explored in the future!**

 **You see, I was thinking of doing these little 'memory arcs' in-between the actual Volumes, in order to give some insight to Shin's character, exploring his past, and how he became what he is now.**

 **The closest one is obviously between Volume 1 and Volume 2 however I was thinking of doing it later. Namely, after the Excalibur Arc. Since Shin used to be an Exorcist, I figured it would be the best time for it. Well, post- or pre- Excalibur Arc. I'll let you guys decide.**

 **And if you want a 'memory' arc in-between the first two volumes as well, let me know in the reviews.**

 **Now moving on to the Harems~**

 **Shin's: Serafall, Kuroka, Yasaka, Akeno, Jeanne, Gabriel, WIP.**

 **Issei's: Rias, Asia, WIP.**

 **Not much changed, really. Except for a few girls being added to Shin's harem. Poor Issei~**

 **And I think that's it for now. Tell me what you thought of the chapter and seeya next chapter, whenever that's out.**

 **Bye~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Curse of Whimsy (ch. 3): Thanks, and while I can't confirm she'll be the main girl, she certainly won't stand by. Though she does like the whole 'affair' thing, so it wouldn't bother her much if she's not the Alpha girl.**

 **As for the whole Fairy Tail thing. No, this won't be a crossover. I just think some elements of Fairy Tail fit with this story, so you'll be seeing a few more things from the anime, but still, it won't be an actual crossover.**

 **Curse of Whimsy (ch. 4): "I'm running dude, no need to tell me twice!" Shin yells, whilst running from Serafall. And thanks, I do try my best to keep characters as true to their characters as possible.**

 **Curse of Whimsy (ch. 5): Yeah, I have no idea what that means either. Hmmm, maybe we'll find out in the future…**

 **Shi the Sin of Sloth: Well, you'll see about Shin being in the peerage later in the chapter, but I do like the idea of Shin being Serafall's Grayfia. It would also give more leeway to the maid possibly joining the harem, who knows~**

 **Fairyfiction21: You have to elaborate a bit more on those two. Where should I add them?**

 **Williamjamsephillips: Thank you, and noted~**

 **itsamemario: Thanks, and I'll note it down, but it's gonna need a few more votes before that happens.**

 **UmbrellaOperative: I was thinking of that. I can confirm the two have a little history, so it wouldn't be hard for it to happen. But she needs a couple more votes.**

 **That one Kitsune: Hey, great to be back. Thank you for the good wishes~**

 **Zetazero246: I'm not against adding them, but they're going to need more votes before they can officially join.**

 **And now with those nice reviews out of the way, unto the chapter~**

 **Chapter 5: Everybody wants to meet the 'Queen'**

* * *

' _Can't believe I've let myself fall this low...'_ our midnight haired teen grumbled in his mind, currently being dragged around a mansion of sorts by none other than the hyperactive Magical girl Sera.

"I can walk on my own two feet you know" Shin called out to said Magical girl, folding his arms over his chest as his feet were dragging on the floor.

"I know, but this way is faster~" Serafall sang, adding a skip to her step, which only annoyed Shin further as his body hopped along with her.

"Ugh, this is embarrassing." with a grumble, Shin looked back at Serafall. "Where even are we? You just teleported us to butt-fuck nowhere and then just started dragging me along. What the fuck?"

"My, what a mouth on you Shi-chan" Serafall noted, causing Shin to huff and pout.

"I have family roots from England. I swear when I'm fucking agitated. It's become a bad fucking habit because of someone I spent some time around in the past. And besides, how am I not supposed to cuss when I don't know where the fuck you're dragging me to?!"

"You sound kind of like an Irish man~" the Maou laughed, causing a vein to appear on Shin's face. "And I told you, we're going to see Ajuka-chan~ He made the Evil Pieces, so he must know why my Pieces didn't work."

"Why didn't you just fucking ask him before?"

"Because he's a Maou as well, not to mention he's more responsible than Sirzechs-chan and myself~ He simply didn't have the time" Serafall explained, before glancing back at Shin with her beaming smile. "But, I asked him today and he said he had time to spare, so that's why we're here now. Well, it's not like he would've had anything else to do since I invited him to the party too~"

"Party? What party?" questioned Shin confused.

Serafall stopped for a moment, before bonking herself on the head and looking at Shin.

"That's right, I forgot to tell you, huh? I'm throwing a welcoming party for you! I wanted everyone to meet my cutest Queen~" she said, making the vein on Shin's headto swell up.

"I'm not your fucking Queen dammit!"

But Serafall was hardly phased by Shin's outburst, and only gave a short chuckle before she resumed her walk, dragging Shin behind her all the way.

"Alright, 'substitute Queen' then~ Either way, you're still part of team Serafall, so you're gonna have to meet everyone eventually! That's how we fucking do it~" she giggled, mimicking Shin at the end, which caused the vein on his head to start pulsating.

"Are you fucking mocking me woman?!" he barked, looking at Serafall with fire in his eyes.

Said girl did nothing more than titter and continued to skip about the long corridor.

"Oh, I would never think of doing that, Shi-chan~ You're my cutest fucking Queen, after all, ahaha~" she did it again, causing Shin to explode.

"DAMMIT, THAT'S IT! C'MERE YA LITTLE SQUIRT- GODDAMIT NOW I'M TALKIN' LIKE 'ER! FUCK!" the boy roared, as he got out of Serafall's grip and began chasing the Maou around, all the while she was laughing like she was having the time of her life.

"Come and fucking get me!" Serafall laughed, while Shin growled violently.

"Grr, stop mocking me you fucking- GODDAMIT!"

Every time Shin tried to sound menacing, his inherent use of the word 'Fuck' fucked it up and made Serafall laugh even harder.

"C'mon Shi-chan, you gotta keep up~ At this rate, you'll never fucking catch up to me~" the ravenette called back, making Shin's eyes turn wild at seeing Serafall continue to mock him.

"When I get my hands on you, I swear I'll make you fucking pay- gh, FUCK -ARGH, CUNT!" he screamed, this time making Serafall howl in laughter.

"Ahaha, now you're really swearing like an Irish person! The rage meter it rising! How long 'till we get to fucking Scottish~?"

At this point, Shin had made Excalibur Galatine manifest in his hand once more, as he exhaled steam out from his nose and his eyes were blazing. Seeing the blade appear, Serafall's expression changed slightly, turning from ecstatic, to really not-too-keen on getting caught.

This was now a matter or pride for Shin. No one mocked him and came out unscathed.

* * *

And so it went on for a while.

Serafall would continue to expertly outmaneuver Shin at every turn, while the boy was beginning to swing his sword wildly in a Hail Mary attempt to get Serafall.

They even ended up passing by some servants doing their work around the mansion, who became understandably shocked and scared when they saw the Maou Leviathan running away from what they perceived as a demon swinging around a Holy Sword.

They did their best to get out of the pair's way, with Serafall occasionally apologizing to the servants, before taking off just before Shin got to her.

Funny enough, Shin did the same thing as Serafall, snapping out of his 'rage' mode to calmly apologize to the maids and butlers for the trouble and the disruption of the peace, before immediately letting rage overtake him again giving chase after Serafall.

After a few more minutes of playing 'Cat and mouse' around in the hallways, the two ended up rounding a corner into a hallway that led straight to two large wooden doors.

' _Aha! There we are~'_ Serafall cheered in her mind, picking up the pace.

Seeing this, Shin made his sword disappear to get rid of the extra weight and began adding to his own speed, beginning to steadily catch up to the loli.

"Got ya!" and after a short but powerful burst of speed, Shin managed to catch up to Serafall and tackled her from behind, causing them both to crash through the doors and into the party inside.

* * *

 _ **A few moments earlier, inside the room**_

Behind the closed wooden doors, something like a little ball was taking place.

Well, there were only a handful of people, and the atmosphere wasn't exactly what one would expect during such an occasion. However, it was pleasantly relaxing, with the few people present chatting idly with one another.

Such two people, happened to be Serafall's peers, in terms of status.

"So, Sirzechs. Quite the get up Serafall has arranged for her potential Queen, huh?" one of the two asked, striking up conversation.

He was a handsome and attractive young man, appearing to be around his early twenties with slicked back green hair and light blue eyes.

Next to him, was a young man who also appeared to be in his early twenties, with shoulder length red hair and blue-green eyes. In fact, he looked like a male version of a certain red head back at Kuoh.

These were Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub, Serafall's fellow Maous and comrades.

"Indeed, this is quite the party" Sirzechs laughed slightly, looking around at the arguably dead party. "But then again, this is Serafall, so it was to be expected" he said, causing his friend to release a short chortle.

"Ahaha, you're right there. But, this is a special occasion. It's not every day that a Maou finds someone worthy of their Queen Piece. And a Mutated Queen Piece at that. This boy, intrigues me immensely, Sirzechs."

"I bet" the redhead said, glancing over his shoulder where the ever faithful maid Grayfia stood by and watched silently. "Even Grayfia is intrigued by this boy."

Ajuka's face displayed surprise for a moment, before he threw a glance around the room, hearing people's whispers around Serafall's new Queen. And that, he smiled.

"My, seems like just about everyone wants to meet this boy. Quite the achievement. Then again, it's no surprise with how much Serafall praised him. As well as how he somehow managed to reject the Queen piece" he mumbled slightly, so only the two of them would hear.

Sirzechs chuckled lightly, before patting his friend on the back.

"Now, Ajuka, don't become upset. I'm sure something just went wrong with the process, is all. That's why Serafall is bringing him over after all, beside the party of course. You can figure out what happened after he arrives" he then glanced over at the doors, getting a certain feeling, as if something was approaching. "And I personally wouldn't believe all that Serafall said. She tends to exaggerate sometimes, you know? I'm certain this Shin is a normal-"

" _Got ya!"_

 ***CRASH***

"-boy.." Sirzechs' sentence was cut short, as Shin's voice rang out from behind the door, before said doors were busted open as Shin and Serafall flew right through them.

They sailed the air for a brief moment, before tumbling to the ground in a sort of thug-of-war fashion, which ultimately ended up in Shin landing on top of Serafall and pinning her hands and feet down so she wouldn't run anymore.

"Finally...hah...got ya squirt!' he panted, looking down at the sheepish Maou. "No one mocks me and fucking get's away with it- grr DAMMIT!" he exclaimed, as his verbal tick once again shone through, causing him to let out a frustrated yell while Serafall laughed again.

"I'm sorry for antagonizing you like that Shi-chan, but look! We reached the party in record time! Surprise~" she sang, getting her hands free and gesturing at the, stagnant, party around them.

Of course, as Shin lifted his head to look around, all he saw was most of the guests present looking at him with a mixture of shock and anger.

"W-What do you think you're doing to Lady Serafall, you scoundrel!" an elderly gentleman shouted out, pointing at Shin with rage in his eyes. "Get off her this instant! Attacking our Maou warrants death!"

Shin, looked blankly at him, before looking blankly at the woman under him, who kept her usual smile on her face.

"Who the fuck is this guy?" he asked crudely, causing a vein to appear on the man's face, while some of the younger guests had to keep in an amused chuckle at the crude question.

"Oh don't worry about him Shi-chan~ He's one of the older Devil's running the government. Though he won't do anything unless I agree with it" she then looked up at the man, still under Shin mind you, and adopted a stern look.

"Look Gramps, no one talks to my Queen like that! If you threaten my Shi-chan like that again, I'll become serious!"

Although she said all of that from the ground under Shin, the old man flinched at her tone and shrunk under her gaze.

"Y-Yes, my deepest apologies Lady Serafall. I-I didn't realize this was the boy you made into your Queen. Please forgive me!" he bowed, with Shin slightly cringing at the 'Queen' part.

"Hmph! No one antagonizes my fucking Queen!" she declared strongly, before the gasps in the room caused her to realize what she just said, now Shin being the one to laugh.

"Haha, that's what you get for mocking me like that" the boy laughed, with Serafall pouting cutely with a blush adorning her face.

"Hey, don't fucking laugh- dammit!" she exclaimed, now feeling all of Shin's earlier suffering while the boy began laughing loudly and ended up rolling off the girl, clutching his sides.

* * *

"My, what a lively entrance, Serafall" Sirzechs' voice rang out, causing Shin and Serafall to look up as the man made his way over followed by Ajuka and Grayfia.

As the man reached the young teen, he offered his hand, which Shin took, and helped the boy to his feet, while Serafall simply bounced back up on her own.

"You must be the boy Serafall talked about. Shin Kurokawa, I presume? I am the Maou Sirzechs Lucifer. A pleasure to meet you."

"Why do you look like Rias?" while Sirzechs gave a proper introduction, Shin simply asked the first thing that came to mind in a blank tone, causing the redhead to laugh.

"Fufu, that's because Rias happens to be my dear younger sister."

"My God, is your sister weak then" Shin stated amazed, looking with wide eyes at Sirzechs, which made the man sweatdrop lightly at how blunt Shin was, as well as how he seemingly ignored the other people that still had to introduce themselves.

"W-Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say she weak. She's one of the most promising-"

"No, no, she's fucking weak" Shin cut in, making Sirzechs' sweatdrop increase in size, while a small sweatdrop appeared on everyone else's face, as they were being blatantly ignored. "I mean, the difference between you two is unreal. I can actually **feel** your power, whereas her I almost mistook for a human."

Hearing this, made everyone forget about the ignorance for a second, as the sweatdropped was replaced by a look of amazement.

"So, you can feel my power huh?" Sirzechs smiled kindly. "Yes, I can feel quite the amount of power emanating from you as well. It's no wonder then. Serafall has found herself a good Queen."

"Again with the 'Queen'..." Shin mumbled under his breath, though the Maou before him caught it and chuckled.

"Ah yes, that reminds me of the reason you're here. But before that, how about we let everyone here introduce themselves?" he said, gesturing toward the people present. Shin looked at the crowd, as his face turned blank again.

"I don't need to know the names of extras" he stated blatantly, causing some of the older Devil's present to face fault.

"Grr, watch your tongue boy! Serafall's Queen or not, we will not allow you to make a mockery of us Pure Devil's!" another elderly man shouted out, making Shin glance at him with the same blank look, only this time his eyes steeled.

"A devil calling himself 'pure'? Now I've heard it all" he stated sharply, making the man grit his teeth, while the Maou's themselves chuckled silently. Although they weren't the only ones.

"Ahaha, you have real guts, Queen of Serafall!" a voice called out from the crowd.

Looking at the source, Shin saw a young man stepping through.

He was a tall and handsome young man with strong features, black hair and violet eyes. He seemed to be around the same age as Shin, however the boy's physique made the ravenette raise an eyebrow.

"My name is Sairaorg Bael, the current heir of the Bael Clan. I'm also Rias' cousin, though we don't get to talk that often" he said, walking over to Shin and extending his hand.

Shin looked at the hand for moment, before glancing back at Sairaorg with a calculating gaze. Nevertheless, he grasped the boy's hand and shook it.

"Shin Kurokawa, though everyone probably already knows that by now" he mumbled, throwing an annoyed glance at Serafall, who stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Well yeah, most of us High Class Devil's have gotten wind that our Maou has found herself a candidate for the position of Queen. People have been wanting to meet you y'know?" Sairaorg explained, while Shin glanced around the room once more and sighed.

"I don't understand why though."

"Well, that's because it's a very rare instance for a Maou to find someone suitable for the position of 'Queen'. In fact, Sirzechs was the only one to have such a person, before now."

Hearing Ajuka's voice speak from behind him, Shin glanced back to see the Maou walk forward with a smile on his face.

"A good day to you, Shin Kurokawa. My name is Ajuka Beelzebub. It is nice to finally meet you" he greeted, extending his hand.

' _Beelzebub huh? So he's the one that managed to create the Evil Pieces'_ Shin thought, barely narrowing his eyes as he studied the man before him. _'He probably already knows why Serafall's piece didn't work on me. I'll have to let him lead and play dumb"_

"So you're then 'Ajuka' Serafall talked about" the boy said, shaking Ajuka's hand. "And you're also the one who created the Evil Pieces, huh? By the way, I guess Serafall told you by now. My body still hurts you know?"

"Yes, Serafall did tell me about it. And I'm honestly surprised. So far I've never heard of a case where something actively rejected and removed an Evil Piece from the body. But I figure it was painful" Ajuka said, causing people around the room to gasp, as this was the first time they heard what actually happened. Fortunately, only these select few people present knew about it now.

"Yeah because of it I couldn't reincarnate Shi-chan!" Serafall's voice rang out, as the ravenette bounced over to Ajuka, and thrusted her newly mutated Queen Piece in his face. "Fix it Ajuka-chan! I want to make Shi-chan my cutest Queen!"

"That's not how it works, Serafall" Ajuka laughed slightly, before taking her piece. "The Evil Pieces are special, and can indeed reincarnate almost anyone into a devil. However, they do have two limitations."

[Limitations?] a collective murmur was heard through the room, with Ajuka throwing a quick glance at the those present. Although the 'audience' consisted of people to be trusted, Ajuka still sighed slightly.

"I much prefer for Kings to find out about the Evil Pieces on their own, I guess it can't be helped in this situation, so I'll explain."

"You see, the Pieces can only reincarnate within the limit's of the Kings own power. That is why sometimes multiple pieces are needed, or why Mutation Pieces exist" he then turned to Serafall. "On that note, the Pieces can also sometimes mutate on the spot, in order to accommodate power that's dangerously close to overtaking the King's."

"Does that mean Shi-chan's stronger than me?!" the Maou exclaimed surprised, as gasps rang out through the room.

Ajuka laughed.

"No, that's not the case. No offense, Shin-san" he quickly added, getting an understanding nod from Shin. "You see, the Evil Pieces are also incapable of reincarnating Gods and Buddhas into a Devil.

Then, another round of gasps rang out in the room.

"Shin-san, do you perhaps possess a Sacred Gear?" Ajuka asked curiously.

Shin rang a hand through his hair and released a silent sigh.

"Apparently I do, however I've never actually awakened it. And so I don't know what it is, or what it does, for that matter. Then again, I've also never had to rely on such a thing in the first place." his answer drew curious glances from both the High-Class Devils, and the Maous along with Grayfia.

However Ajuka nodded his head slightly.

"Hmm, then that strengthens my theory."

"In what regard?"

"It is highly likely that your Sacred Gear contains the soul of something at the level of a God. It would explain why Serafall's piece didn't work, as well as why you have never been able to awaken it" the Maou explained.

This shocked most of the Devil's present, Serafall included.

She knew Shin had something powerful inside him, however she never expected it to be something as powerful as a God. And while she was happy, she was also disappointed that she couldn't have made him into her Queen, even if she wanted to.

"So I have such a being sealed inside me?" the midnight haired teen queried, getting a shrug from Ajuka.

"It's the most plausible theory, but it's not certain."

"But it's curious" Sirzechs spoke, making everyone glance at him. "The only Sacred Gears that have actual souls sealed within them are, to my knowledge, all in the Longinus class but none of those souls are Gods."

"I may have an answer to that." a new voice made itself known.

Looking back, Shin was surprised to see a miniature dragon step through the doors previously busted by himself and Serafall.

The dragon's body was covered in purple scales, with the exception of his lower body, specifically his belly, the inner portions of his long tail and legs, which were beige in color.

It's head was triangular shaped with yellow horns, a pair of large, keen red eyes with lavender sclera, and serrated yet sharp canine teeth. He also had claws with long sharp, yellow nails, on his hands, and large bat-like wings with rigid tips. Oh it's shoulder's were large pauldrons and around it's waist was a loincloth with metal ornaments.

' _The Blazing Meteor Dragon, Tannin...'_ Shin's eye narrowed ever so slightly, however his lips tugged upward at the laughably small stature of the dragon.

"Ah, Tannin-chan! You've finally arrived~" Serafall greeted, waving happily at the newly named Tannin, who waved back slightly.

"Of course Serafall-sama. Since you invited me, it would have been rude of me to not show up" the dragon responded, having made it's way to the group. He then glanced at Shin, and their eyes met for the briefest of second, a certain message being sent.

"Besides, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to meet another potential male Queen. Especially after sensing Aeryon's power inside the boy" Tannin said, causing confusion to appear amongst the Devils present.

All, except for the Maous.

"Aeryon?" Sirzechs questioned surprised, which was shared by his Queen and two peers.

"Wasn't that the name of the Dragon God of Destruction?" Ajuka's question was met with a nod from Tannin.

"There's no mistaking it. I wouldn't forget the energy of that bastard, who ignored my request to duel!" he declared loudly, as if the soul inside Shin would hear it.

"-Kh!" instead, Shin had to turn his head to the side and suppress the chuckle that was threatening to be released.

Fortunately, it went unnoticed by everyone bar Tannin, who got even more annoyed.

"But I thought he was slain during the Great War. How is it that his soul is inside Shi-chan?" Serafall questioned, showing a rare display of seriousness, which showed the younger Devil's in the room that this 'Aeryon' was something else.

"That, I don't know. However, Tiamat may have an answer to your question" the former Dragon King responded, shrugging his shoulder. "She was the only one he didn't ignore..." his grumble made it apparent how annoyed he was by that fact.

"So Tiamat may know" Ajuka mumbled, stroking his chin. "Hmm, I'll need to make a mental note to ask her about it when I get the opportunity."

* * *

With that, silence befell the room. It was an awkward atmosphere, where the young Devils exchanged confused glances, as they didn't know what was being talked about, while the elder Devils shared concerned looks, as they recognized the name of 'Aeryon'.

"Ahem." that was until Sirzechs cleared his throat loud enough to garner everyone's attention.

"Well, it seems we got a little carried away with unimportant stuff" he said, showing his regular smile. "This is supposed to be a party, and yet it has the atmosphere of a funeral. Why don't we liven things up a bit?"

"I'll agree to that" Sairaorg spoke up, wearing his own laid back smile. "This party is getting rather boring. We need some action."

"Hmm, now that you mention it, I remember inviting more people" the female Maou noted, looking around with a pout on her lips. "Where's the rest?!"

"I don't know about the older Devils, but I did send Kuisha to fetch some of the younger ones" Sairaorg spoke up, before waving his hand dismissively. "However, I wouldn't hold much hope for those guys to show up. Not everyone is as keen on meeting a new challenger as I am" he finished off with a challenging smirk directed toward Shin, who raised an eyebrow.

"Not all of are battle maniacs like you, Sairaorg Bael" a new voice made itself known, as people glanced back at the nonexistent door, once again courtesy of Shin and Serafall.

There, Shin saw three people walking up.

The first one Shin noticed, was a beautiful girl with long blonde hair tied into a ponytail and blue eyes. She was walking in front of the other two, so the boy assumed she was the one 'leading' the pack. Of two.

A short distance behind her, was another beautiful young lady, with long blonde hair that had a hint of green in it and pink eyes. She also wore spectacles and had a sharp gaze. From the way she held herself, Shin deduces she must've been of pure descent.

And finally, lagging a little behind the two, was a young man with a gentle-looking face. He had also had blonde hair and although he wore a smile on his face, Shin could practically smell the bullshit around the guy.

As a matter of fact, he literally smelled something different about this person. And his eyes narrowed once he realized what it was.

' _One of her snakes...So this is one the rats she talked about. He's an Astaroth, from what I can feel, so probably Beelzebub's younger sibling. Tch, that means I can't do anything yet. Slimy little vermin...'_ Shin thought, as the three finally reached the group.

"Huh, so the saying is right after all" the ravenette turned his head toward Serafall. "Speakof the Devil and he shall appear."

"Mmhh, but there's still people missing" she pouted, as the 'leader' blonde bowed her head toward the Maou.

"I'm sorry Serafall-sama, but unfortunately I couldn't manage to convince the other young Devils to participate tonight. They all said they were busy."

"Humpf. The day that Phenex and Glasya-Labolas are actually busy, is the day Hell freezes over. Those two are most likely romping away with their servants like the savages they are. So much for keeping their precious bloodlines pure."

 ***clap* *clap* *clap***

"She is sassy as fuck, holy shit I like her" Shin declared, lightly clapping his hands at the bespectacled woman's retort.

Said woman heard this, and while she wanted to say something, the moment her eyes landed on Shin's amazed and -arguably- amused face, a faint blush lit up on her face making her turn her head around.

The other young girl saw this, and chuckled, while the boy behind them simply kept his smile.

"Well, some are still better than none" Sirzechs noted, before glancing once more at the small crowd. "Though I can't help but notice there are still a few of our own peers missing. Curious."

"Oh hey, let me try this time" Shin spoke up eagerly, surprising the people present, as up until now he had either kept to himself, or gave everyone the cold shoulder and only spoke when spoken to.

The ravenette then took a step forward a cleared his throat, before pausing and placing a hand on his chin, looking deep in thought.

"Hmm, wait a second, what other devils were there? Lemme think..." he mumbled, as Sirzechs raised a hand and gave a suggestion.

"How about Forneus?"

"Nah, doesn't really sound summoning worth. Sounds disgusting if anything"

"Maybe Marax?"

"Again, doesn't sound mainstream"

Both Sirzechs and Ajuka's suggestions were shut down, so Serafall stepped up.

"Oh, try Amon!"

"Reminds me of a band I heard of, so too mainstream. No"

"Ohh..."

Serafall's attempt was also denied. And after that, all three Maou's became engaged in a game of 'Find the right name to summon', and while the three seemed quite concentrated on it, the other devils in the room sweatdropped at the notion.

"Hmm, why not try Sallos?"

"I was thinking of Purson, personally."

"Oh, oh! Barbatos~"

"Maybe Beleth?"

"Doesn't seem fit for the situation."

"I agree with Ajuka-chan, Sirzechs-chan."

"Then how about Vassago?"

"Hmm, does have a nice ring to it."

"Wait, why don't we try Valefor!"

"Serafall, the Valefor clan went extinct in the Great War."

"Oh yeah, I forgot..." Ajuka's response made the bubbly Maou deflate a bit. However, she bounced right back with a smile on her face. "But~ If one **did** show up, it would make it even more amazing!"

* * *

The sweatdrop among the crowd became bigger with every second the Maous spent trying to find the right name to speak of, even though by now there should've been around a dozen Clans present, with how many names they've talked about.

As that was happening, Shin stationed himself next to the busty silver haired maid, as the two watched the back and forth.

"Are they always like this?"

"Until it comes to actual work, then yes. You'll get used to it at some point, Shin-sama."

"Yeah, I'm really happy I'm not actually Serafall's Queen right about now. I don't think I can deal with these things on...a daily basis?"

"Daily basis."

"Got ya. You must be positively exhausted at the end of the day."

"It does get stressful sometimes, but I've gotten used to it by now."

After that the two descended into silence briefly, before Shin turned his head to the silverette.

"Say, I didn't actually catch you name, miss…?"

"Grayfia" the maid answered shortly, before turning her body to Shin and bowing her head. "My name is Grayfia Lucifuge, head maid to the Gremory family and Lucifer-sama's Queen. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shin-sama."

"Lucifuge huh? So you're from the Extra Demons clan, huh?" receiving a nod from Grayfia, Shin bobbed his own head and folded his arms. "Say, Grayfia-san. How much of a hassle is Serafall, from a Queen's perspective?"

"Hmm? Well, her boundless energy would prove the most tiresome, I'd say. Not to mention that she, like Sirzechs-sama, tend to skip out on their responsibilities as Maou as often as possible, so the extra workload would fall unto the Queen. One would have to keep a close eye on her" the busty maid answered, making Shin nod his head slightly. "But why do you wish to know that, Shin-sama?"

"Well, I had to make a compromise with Serafall, to get her off my back. I promised I'd act as her Queen, until she either got her Queen Piece to work, or until she found someone else fit to be her Queen. And since whoever this Aeryon is won't let me be reincarnated, I'm stuck with playing Queen for a while. Just wanted to know what to expect."

"I see. That's quite the promise you made, Shin-sama. As I've said, being a Maou's Queen, especially Serafall's Queen at that, could be rather tiresome. I don't think anyone would fault you for not wanting the role."

"Unfortunately, when I make a promise I stick to it and pull through. That's just how I am, Grayfia-san. For better or for worse" Shin stated, causing Grayfia's eyes to widen for the briefest of moments.

* * *

At that moment, Serafall raised her arm high, getting everyone's attention, and declared something.

"That's it! We've decided on Dantalion!"

"Who the fuck is Dantalion?" Shin questioned with a sweatdrop, before shaking his head. "Forget about that. Wasn't the house of Belial a thing too? From what I hear the name has become quite popular lately."

"That it has, and I'm grateful for the fact."

"Holy shit, it actually worked!"

As yet another new voice made itself know, the people present automatically glanced back to the entrance to see who showed up this time.

"Ah! Diehauser-chan! Roygun-chan! You showed up~" Serafall waved happily at the new pair that joined the fray.

The first, was a tall and handsome man with a graceful face, gray hair and eyes. His attire consisted of a skin tight top that exposed his abs, padded arm protectors, slacks with belt ornaments and a red cape with a raised collar.

The second, was a beautiful young woman appearing to be in her early twenties with long, wavy cherry-blossom hair and two horns protruding from her head. As for her attire, she wore a high-cut formal dress with high slits, which showed her slim waist and her generous bust was also quite visible.

' _These two...in comparison to the majority here, they're no joke._ ' Shin's eyes narrowed, upon getting a feel on the newcomers. _'That power...it's almost at the same level as their Maous. But..there's something strange about it.'_

"How good of you two to join us" Sirzechs greeted the pair, who nodded their heads in return.

"Well, you always have to wonder with Serafall-sama, but something told me I shouldn't miss this one" the man known as Diehauser said, glancing at Shin and offering a kind smile. "You must be the man of the hour. My name is Diehauser Belial, head of the Belial Clan. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shin took a moment to analyze the man before him, as he always would, however when he reached his hand out to grasp Diehauser's, it was quickly snatched away.

"My, so you are the boy who drew out Serafall-san's Queen piece hmm~?" the woman named Roygun cooed, grasping Shin's hand and placing it dangerously close to her mounds, which surprised the teen. "Powerful, and a cute face to boot? Hmm, how could I persuade you to join my peerage instead, cutie?"

"U-Uhh.." Shin, was at a little loss for words, as Roygun pressed her body ever closer to him, placing the boy on the spot.

"Hey! Roygun-chan, Shi-chan is mine!" came Serafall's voice, before the loli herself bounced between the two and grabbed Shin's head and hugged it tight between her own flesh mounds.

"Oh? But didn't you say your Piece didn't work on him? That means he's free game right?" the pink haired woman then swiftly snatched Shin away from the Maou, and placed his head between her boobs while stroking the back of his head lightly, which caused Serafall to release a growl.

"Actually, we've established that the boy can't be reincarnated, because of the creature that is sealed within him" Ajuka quickly cut in, causing the devils who arrived earlier to look up surprised.

"Wait, you mean I can't reincarnate him even if I wanted to?"

"'Fraid so, Roygun-chan. I'm disappointed by the fact myself"

"Aww, what a shame" Roygun's face dropped slightly, and because of this she felt the need to cling to Shin even tighter, causing the boy's eyes to widen as she was slowly constricting his airways the same way Serafall did before.

And while the woman were expressing their sadness by hugging poor Shin half to death, Diehauser made his way over to Ajuka and Sirzechs.

"Can the boy really not the reincarnated?" he questioned, earning a nod from the two.

"That is indeed the case. Serafall tried to reincarnate him the other day, but was unsuccessful. Her Queen piece even mutated on the spot to accommodate all the power inside him, but it proved futile. The soul inside Kurokawa-san is simply too strong, not to mention it actively disrupted the process."

"And who is this 'soul', exactly?"

"Aeryon, the Dragon God of Destruction" Sirzechs' response made Diehauser's eyes widen by a considerable margin.

"But I thought that dragon was killed by the God of the Bible toward the end of the war."

"So did we. However, it appears we were wrong..." Ajuka revealed, casting a quick glance at the boy struggling to escape Serafall and Roygun's clutches. Diehauser and Sirzechs followed suit, and promptly sweatdropped.

"Most men would kill to be in his situation, yet I can't help but feel like he's not enjoying himself all that much."

"Serafall is being her usual affectionate self, but I don't recall Roygun being like this. She must've taken a real shine to the boy, huh?"

"Maybe it's love at first sight~"

Ajuka cracked a joke at the end, which made the other two chuckle slightly. Sirzechs then turned his head toward Grayfia, who was standing a little ways off.

"Grayfia, could you please help out the poor boy? He doesn't seem to fancy his current situation, not that I blame him, with how hard those two seem to be pulling on him."

"Right away, Sirzechs-sama."

The maid then wordlessly made her way over and with one swift motion snatched Shin away from the two women, leaving them blinking in confusion at how fast he disappeared from their grasp.

"Ahh..thank you very much Grayfia-san" Shin breathed out in relief, as he found himself carried back to the male Maous.

"I am most happy to help, Shin-sama."

"Hey, Grayfia-chan! Don't you try and steal Shi-chan too!" the pair heard Serafall's voice call out from behind them, however the maid glanced back at her with a blank expression.

"Serafall-sama, I'm merely following orders. You and Roygun-sama looked dangerously close to hurting the boy with your childish squabble."

"Childish?" Roygun gasped in an exaggerated manner. "We were simply showing Shin-kun the benefits of being in our...presence~" although she said that, she clearly meant to say their breasts, evident by how she subtly pressed her melons together.

"Whatever it may be, it is wrong to force yourselves unto someone like that. Shin-sama has clearly become exhausted" the maid said, referring to Shin's slightly disheveled appearance due to his earlier struggle to escape the women's clutches.

"Eh I've been through worse- ah shit!"

 ***bang***

"Shi-chan!"

Of course, in true Shin fashion, the boy didn't want to make it look like he was actually affected by what transpired and tried to walk it off like normal, however it didn't work out so well as due to a delayed reaction from lack of oxygen, his vision went blurry just long enough for him to stumble and bang his head on the table loudly, causing Serafall to call out in worry while the rest of the Devils just cringed.

* * *

"Uggh...I'm okay!" the ravenette called from the ground, raising a thumbs up.

Though when he stood up and turned around, it was obvious he wasn't 'okay' as his face now had a very thick line of blood going down and dripping from his chin.

"What?" he questioned, oblivious to the reason everyone was looking at him with wide eyes.

"Kuisha, do you want to tell him?" Sairaorg questioned the blonde girl from before, who sweatdropped.

She then wordlessly walked up to Shin and pulled out a little hand mirror, which she placed right in front of the boy's face.

"Oh damn. Been a while since I've seen this much of my own blood" Shin noted normally, studying his face in the mirror.

"You may want to seek some medical attention, uhh..."

"Shin Kurokawa, at your service" Shin said, giving the newly named Kuisha an ever so slight smile, before waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, 'tis but a scratch."

"Hehe, I see the reference you did there~" Kuisha chuckled, nodding her head in approval. "And what do you call losing all your limbs?" she asked knowingly, causing a cheeky grin to appear on both her and Shin's faces.

[We call that a draw~] the two said in unison, before laughing out loud at the little thing they just did.

[…] and evidently by everyone's confused faces, they were the only ones who understood the reference.

"Ehehe, you understood my reference. You are worth remembering. What's your name?"

"Fufu, my name is Kuisha Abaddon and I'm Sairaorg's Queen. It's a pleasure to formally meet you, Kurokawa-san" Sairaorg's Queen slightly bowed her head, a gesture reciprocated by the ravenette.

"Ah that's right, introductions" Ajuka clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Kurokawa-san, there's still some people who have yet to introduce themselves. How about we get to that so we finally have that out of the way?"

"Ugh, didn't I tell you I don't need to know the names of extras?"

"I'll bring you back after everyone has introduced themselves~"

"Alright extras, I'm all ears!" Shin called out immediately, upon hearing Serafall's proposal.

Obviously, Roygun immediately bounced in Shin's face and leaned her body on him.

"Then I'll be the first to properly introduce myself. My name is Roygun Belphegor, a devil form the Extra Demon clan of Belphegor, as well as it's current head. It is a pleasure to properly make your acquaintance, Shin Kurokawa~" in spite of her earlier antics, she introduced herself in a truly noble fashion, even doing a curt little bow.

Shin returned the gesture, and bent his body forward to give a bow, which made Roygun release a slight titter.

"Then, I shall introduce myself next." the blonde young man that arrived before stepped up and showed a kind smile, though Shin saw through his facade right away.

"My name is Diodora Astaroth, younger brother to the current Beelzebub and the next heir to the Astaroth clan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kurokawa-san." though he wanted to show a disgusted face, Shin had to keep up appearances and gave a short nod to Diodora's introduction.

"Then I suppose it's my turn then" finally, the second blonde that arrived together with Kuisha and Diodora walked up with a head held high.

"I am Seekvaira Agares, the next heir to the noble house of Agares. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Kurokawa-san." like before, Shin gave a short bow in acknowledgment of the girl's introduction.

And with that, all people that mildly interested Shin had introduced themselves. Next, it was up to the people Shin referred to as 'Extras', which consisted of some of the older devil's that belonged to the government or were clan heads.

Such was the case for Lord Bael, which Shin learned was Sairaorg's father, although he could feel the two weren't as close as one would expect.

* * *

And after everyone had finally introduced themselves, Shin turned right back to Serafall.

"Alright, let's go" he said blankly, making everyone sweatdrop while Serafall giggled slightly.

"My, such an impatient boy~ But a promise is a promise, and since it's so late, we can also get right to bed once we're there~"

"I can't help but notice you are using the plural pronoun. Do not use the plural pronoun, since you're not spending the night."

"W-Whaaat?! But you're my cutest-"

" **AHEM** "

"-proxy Queen! As such, I need to spend time with you~"

"Yeah, no." Serafall deflated at Shin's complete refusal. However, even if she couldn't get her way this time, she'd make sure to do so next time.

"Okay, fine...I'll teleport us back to Rias-chan's clubhouse, so you can pick up Jeanne-chan as well~" Serafall said, going over to Shin's side, as the boy's eyes widened considerably.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about Jeanne for a moment..." he sweatdropped, as a certain look appeared on his face. "But I feel like there's still something I'm forgetting."

"Don't worry, you'll remember when we get back~"

And with that, a blue magic circle appeared under Shin and Serafall's feet, which began glowing brightly, about to teleport them.

"Serafall-sama, wait!" however, a voice caused Serafall to stop the teleportation, as her and her proxy Queen turned back to see Sairaorg step forward with a challenging smirk on his face.

"That's the smirk of a battle maniac right there" Shin chuckled slightly, remembering the type of smirk from a certain someone.

"That's right" Sairaorg stated, now standing face to face with Shin, which was only slightly off, as Shin was a few inches shorter the clan heir.

"Oh boy, here we go again..."

"Fufu, that's Sairaorg for you. Always looking for someone to challenge his strength."

"Although I hardly think it's fair, considering Kurokawa-san is actually still human."

Seekvaira along with Diodora spoke their minds, upon seeing what Sairaorg was doing, whereas Kuisha kept her usual demeanor up, as she knew Sairaorg best.

"Ohh, is this what I think it is?"

"I believe so, Roygun-san. To be honest, I was actually hoping to see what Kurokawa-san was capable of, since he drew out Serafall-sama's Queen piece."

"Hmm, I'll have to agree with Diehauser, Sirzechs. I myself am quite curious as to what sort of power Kurokawa-san possesses."

"I agree Ajuka. Grayfia, you were curious as to what the boy can do as well, right?" the redhead questioned his Queen, who didn't answer out loud, but her expression was all Sirzechs needed. "Who knows, maybe we'll even be able to see the fabled power of the Dragon God of Destruction."

"I wouldn't recommend it" Tannin's voice made Sirzechs glance back at the dragon walking up to him. "Aeryon's power is destruction incarnate. By all means, compare it to your own true form. Not to mention the dragon himself was always extremely volatile in combat."

"Hmm, that's a shame then. I was hoping we would find out why his soul is sealed within the body of Shin Kurokawa, even though the dragon perished centuries ago."

"No worries Sirzechs. While Kurokawa-san was busy greeting everyone, I took the liberty of letting Tiamat know about all of this. Though it was a brief conversation, she did tell me that it would be impossible to awaken Aeryon."

"How so?"

"She told me she was there the day God of the Bible slew Aeryon. However, contrary to what we believed, He didn't actually manage to kill him, and instead sealed his soul away behind dozens of forbidden seals."

"Forbidden seals?" Diehauser questioned intrigued, earning a nod from the Maou. "Hmm, how curious. That means Aeryon's power has no way of shining through."

"Then that means what resonated with Serafall-san's Queen piece was Shin-kun's own power alone?"

"I believe so, Roygun. And that alone, is an amazing feat." Sirzechs answered Roygun's question, who got little stars shimmering in her eyes as she looked back at Shin.

Speaking of, both Shin and Sairaorg had managed to catch that last part, which caused Sairaorg's face to lighten up even further.

"That's exactly what I was hoping to hear" he smirked, igniting a raised eyebrow from Shin.

"And why is that, exactly?"

"Because that means that I have an accurate way of measuring my own power. We are both around the same age, and I can see it in your eyes that you have been training hard ever since you were small, just like myself" the black haired teen explained, tightening his fist. "I want to see how I compare to someone whose power managed to bring out one of our Maous Queen piece. And a human at that, no less."

Shin was silent for a few moments, studying the boy in front of him. Though, it didn't take a genius to see that Sairaorg's wish to test his strength was as pure as it got. Releasing a sigh, Shin looked up at Sairaorg with the same challenging look.

"I guess it can't be helped. However I still have school tomorrow, not to mention I have to help my 'sister' get settled in, so I only have a few minutes to spare."

"Heh, that's more than enough!"

* * *

And so, the center of the ballroom was cleared, so Sairaorg and Shin could have some space for their little sparring session. Since most people were curious as to what Shin was capable of doing, there was little to no resistance when the Maous requested for everyone to move to the side.

"Are you ready, Shin Kurokawa?" Sairaorg asked, having discarded his noble upper attire, leaving only his dress shirt on, which exposed his muscular physique even more than before.

Shin didn't respond, instead he took off his blazer and handed it to Grayfia, who graciously agreed to keep a hold of it until the spar was over. He then unbuttoned his own dress shirt and also gave it to Grayfia, who bowed her head and stepped away, joining the Ultimate Class devils on the side.

But after Shin was left in only a black tank top, people noticed some large scars visible around his upper body. This caused Sairaorg to raise an eyebrow.

"Those are some nasty scars on your body. I see you've had your fair share of battle already."

"Swords are pretty sharp you know? A few scars are bound to appear when training with them."

"Oh? So you're a swordsman, then?" Sairaorg questioned intrigued. "Now that I think about it, that thing on your back is a sword isn't it? If you're more comfortable, you're free to use it."

Shin glanced at him after hearing this, and chuckled.

"Sorry to say this, but if I were to use my swords, you'd be at an even bigger disadvantage."

"Is that so? So I'm already at a disadvantage?"

"Unfortunately."

"Humpf! Then it's a good thing I like a challenge!"

And as soon as Sairaorg finished his sentence, he lunged at Shin at incredible speeds and cocked his fist back.

 **DOON**

Sairaorg's fist was headed straight for Shin, however the boy's speed was made evident as he moved out of the way at the last second, leaving Sairaorg to punch the ground in his place and create a small explosion of dust and rubble.

"Heh. Your speed is impressive, Shin Kurokawa!" the black haired young man declared, waving the dust out of his face.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sairaorg-san" Shin nodded his head slightly, acknowledging the compliment.

Sairaorg's smile grew in size, before he launched himself forward once again, even faster than before, appearing before Shin and sending a straight jab at Shin's midsection.

 ***whoosh***

However, his punch ended up missing entirely, as Shin once again moved out of the way at the last second. Clicking his tongue, Sairaorg twisted his body around and attempted a roundhouse kick to Shin's head.

"Too slow"

 ***whoosh***

And once again, Shin's reaction time proved better than Sairaorg's attack, as the ravenette avoided the kick by bending his body backward almost all the way, shocking those watching.

' _Gh! His reflexes are better than I expected..!_ ' Sairaorg's eyes narrowed slightly, attempting to send a flurry of punches to Shin's person, only for the boy to fluidly avoid every single punch.

And so it went on for a little while longer, as the heir of Bael repeatedly attempted to land a successful attack against Shin, to no avail. And each time he missed, Sairaorg became more and more frustrated.

"At this rate, you'll never hit me" Shin stated, backflipping out of the way of another roundhouse kick from Sairaorg, and jumped back to gain some distance.

However, Sairaorg saw this as a golden opportunity and put all his strength into his legs, propelling himself toward Shin who was still airborne and had no to dodge.

"I got you!" he declared, appearing in front of Shin with his arm reared back, causing the ravenette's eyes to widen in surprise.

 ***fwoosh***

[-?!]

However, once again, Shin managed to shock the devils once again, as his body managed to contort around Sairaorg's punch mid-way, causing a shockwave to ripple throughout the room. Shin then landed on the ground, and seeing Sairaorg was still stunned, sent his own roundhouse kick toward the boy's face.

' _Crap-!'_ Sairaorg snapped out of his state and managed to avoid Shin's kick by doing the same as him and backflipping out of the way.

He then jumped back a little distance, and clicked his tongue.

"Are you certain you're human? Because those reflexes are fast, even for a devil" Sairaorg questioned the indifferent looking Shin.

"Yes, I'm quite certain I am human, Sairaorg-san. As for how I'm so fast, we'll why spoil the secret? You're just going to have to find out for yourself."

"Hm. I see I was mistaken in going easy on you, for being human. You're obviously capable of keeping your own against a supernatural being" Sairaorg smirked, as Shin raised an eyebrow and said something that shocked the devils.

"Oh? How funny. You thought I was giving it my all?"

* * *

"Wait, that human was holding back?" one of the elder devils questioned in shock, being answered by another nearby.

"No way! Sairaorg Bael is the strongest of the Rookie Four. There's no way a human could keep up with him, even when he's holding back!"

Unlike the elder devils, who were outright denying Shin wasn't trying, the younger devils were amazed by what they saw.

"Holding back or not, the fact Kurokawa-san, as a human, managed to keep his own against Sairaorg like this is amazing. He's a lot stronger than I first thought" Kuisha mumbled, her eyes displaying some amount of amazement.

Seekvaira, who had been watching everything unfold with a clam expression, simply fixed her glasses, but her eyes did display some amount of surprise as well, while Diodora said nothing and kept his usual expression on his face.

As for the group of Ultimate-Class devils watching, they too held some amount of amazement in their eyes, however they expected it, as a Maous Queen piece wouldn't activate for just anybody.

* * *

Back on the fight hand, Sairaorg couldn't help but release a laugh.

"Ahaha, so we've both been holding back, huh? That's great! That means we can kick things up a notch!" he exclaimed with glee, before vanishing from his spot causing Shin's eyes to widen.

And this time, Sairaorg appeared behind Shin before the boy could even finish processing what happened, and raised his left leg high, before bringing it back down over Shin's head in a devastating axe kick.

 **DOONN**

The kick was so powerful, it created a massive explosion which sent shockwaves ripping through the room and the spectators had to shield themselves from the debris flying everywhere. Seeing this, Serafall immediately got worried over Shin's state.

"Sairaorg-chan, don't you dare kill my Shi-chan! I can't reincarnate him!" she exclaimed annoyed, as the dust began to settle.

[-!]

"What?!"

But as it did, everyone including Sairaorg were shocked to see Shin, standing next to the crater created by Sairaorg completely unharmed.

"My turn now." Was Shin's simple statement, before he swiftly turned his body around as his fist and upped arm became encased a layer of solid violet ice, causing Serafall and Grayfia's eyes to widen in recognition.

 ***BANG***

"-GAH!"

Sairaorg's eyes also widened, however that was because of Shin's fist embedding itself in the boy's stomach with unimaginable force before he could react, causing a hefty amount of blood to erupt from his mouth, before he was sent flying straight into the wall causing a giant crater to appear.

"Sairaorg!" Kuisha called out shocked, seeing her King, who she knew was by no means weak, get sent flying by a human.

The rest of the spectators were also shocked at the outcome, though they accepted it easier, as this proved why Serafall's Queen piece reacted to Shin.

"Kh-! *cough* *cough*" Sairaorg coughed a bit of blood as he stood up, stumbling for a second as he did, before glancing back at his opponent with an excited smile. "Shin Kurokawa, I've underestimated you. You are far tougher than I first expected."

"I told you you'd be at a disadvantage." Shin responded by raising his ice clad arm, as steam rolled off into the air. "That punch did about as much damage as a light attack."

"Gh..I felt as I much. *cough*"

"Do you really want to continue then?"

"Of course! I told you I liked a challenge!" Sairaorg declared with glee, as a light green aura began enveloping his body, causing Shin's eyes to open in surprise.

"That power...Touki!" the boy noted with genuine surprise, something that made Sairaorg release a chuckle.

"I see you recognize this power. Touki. I've gained this power by training my body to it's breaking point, in order to get stronger. Shin Kurokawa, I acknowledge your strength! That's why I won't hold anything back with this attack!"

And with that, the aura around Sairaorg intensified, before the boy shot off toward Shin at incredible speeds, rearing his arm back and letting his aura retreat from the rest of his body to cover just the arm.

Seeing the incoming attack, and the determination within Sairaorg's eyes, a small smile appeared on Shin's face, as the boy closed his eyes for a brief second.

"Sairaorg Bael. Your determination and strength. I commend you for both!" the boy declared strongly, lifting his ice covered arm high.

 ***crrackk* *flare***

[-!] the spectators eyes widened, upon seeing the ice armor around Shin's hand crack and disperse, before a violent black flame lit up and covered his hand.

Then, opening his glowing blue eyes as a look of determination crossed his face, the boy reared his own arm back, in preparation for Sairaorg's own attack.

"I'll show you the extent of my power, Sairaorg Bael!" Shin declared strongly, as the flames around his hand started flaring up stronger than ever before, covering the rest of his body as the shape of a dragon was created through them.

With that, everyone's eyes widened considerably at the amount of power the two were releasing at the moment, which sent ripples throughout. And as Sairaorg neared Shin, it became clearly obvious that neither was going to back out, and the resulting clash would be extremely destructive. And yet, no one wanted to stop them, seeing how fired up they've gotten one another.

"This is it, Shin Kurokawaa!" Sairaorg shouted, preparing to launch his attack as he neared Shin, who did the same.

"Yes, this it it! **Forbidden Fire Art! Heaven's Black Piercing Fang**!" he declared, as the flames around his arm flared wildly.

.

.

""HAVE MY FIST!"" they both declared strongly, as Sairaorg reached Shin, and both struck forward letting their fists collide.

* * *

 ***ring* *ring***

 **DOONN *whoosh***

...or at least that was the plan, had it not been for Shin's phone beginning to ring, causing both teens to abruptly stop in their tracks, just before their fist collided, which released a massive shockwave, with both Shin and Sairaorg's power laying waist behind one another.

Fortunately, there were no spectators behind any of the two, otherwise they would've been in quite the pickle, as the ballroom was left in shreds after a simply near collision between the two. One could only imagine what would've happened if the two **did** collide.

 ***ring* *ring***

"*sigh* Goddammit..." Shin mumbled annoyed, as his phone kept ringing, igniting a hearty chuckle from Sairaorg.

"Ahaha, no worries Shin Kurokawa! Someone obviously needs you, so it can't be helped" the large young man smiled, gesturing at the destroyed ballroom. "Besides, I think this is enough, for now. I'm satisfied with this result."

"Well, if you say so, then I guess I can't complain" the ravenette shrugged his shoulders lightly, before hearing his phone ring one more time.

Fishing said phone out of his pocket, Shin sweatdropped as he saw it was Jeanne that was calling him. Nevertheless, he swiped his screen and answered.

"Yes, Jeanne? Is something the matter?"

" **Well, I was wondering if you were about done over there Shi-chan"** Shin could hear from her voice that the girl was sleepy, which made him aware once more of how late it had gotten.

"U-Uhh, yeah I think I'm about done here."

" **Oh, great then. Can you come and pick me up, so we can finally go home? It's not like I don't enjoy spending time with Ria-chan and everyone, but I'd like to sleep in my own room, not in the old school building."**

"Yeah, I hear ya. That place is really creepy. By the way. 'Ria-chan'? I see you've gotten friendly with Rias and the rest, all things considered."

" **Oh yeah! Since Serafall-san dragged you off unexpectedly, Ria-chan was kind enough to let me stay with them until you returned~ I even got to see them at work, got to know them a bit better, it was like a bring your kid to work day~ And you don't have to worry about Yuuto-kun. I managed to talk with him and explained some things, so he's a lot more cool now~"**

"I see. I trust you didn't spill too much, like with Excalibur before?"

" **Yes, don't worry Shi-chan~ I just told him about where the two of us are coming from, and showed him that we're all similar in our own way. And well, he still doesn't like Excalibur, but he doesn't have a grudge to take out on you anymore, so that's progress~"**

"Yeah, sure. Let's call it that."

" **Okay~ Now, how fast are you going to come back? I can't wait to meet Sayaka~"**

"..."

 ***drop***

As soon as the word Sayaka was mentioned, Shin's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates while the color drained from his face, causing surprise in the devils present. He then raised shaky hands to his face, and dropped to his knees, worrying the devils even further.

" **S-Shi-chan? You still-"**

"I FORGOT ABOUT SAYAKA AND KUROME!" he screamed at the top of lungs, raising his hands to the sky, as despair became evident in his voice. "THEY'VE BEEN LEFT ALONE ALL DAY WITH NO FOOD AND WATER!"

* * *

 ***fwoosh***

"DON'T WORRY MY BABIES! I'M ON MY WAY!" the boy yelled, his voice echoing throughout the castle, as he was now long gone down the hallway everyone came through earlier.

Left alone after the little incident, the devils in the room exchanged confused glances, while sharing one big sweatdrop.

"W-Well, it looks like the boy is quite lively" Sirzechs chuckled, although he too had a sweatdrop on his face.

"And very impatient, it seems" his Queen spoke from the side, causing to Maous and Tannin to glance back at her, who was looking at Shin's clothes that she still had.

"Oh my, Kurokawa-san seems to have been in such a rush, he even forgot about his clothes" Ajuka noted. "Some should bring them back to him."

"Oh, oh! I'll do it! I'll bring them back!" Serafall immediately raised her hand, excitement clear on her face. However, both her peers shook their heads, causing her to look at them stupefied.

"Shin-kun clearly stated he didn't want you on his case for the rest of the day, Serafall"

"Indeed. We'll simply have someone else quickly drop by to hand him his clothes."

Both Sirzechs and Ajuka's responses made Serafall slump down with a rain cloud hanging over her head.

"Then I'll be the one to give Shin-kun his clothes back~" hearing Roygun's voice, the Maous deadpanned her as well, causing a sweatdrop to appear on her face.

The two didn't even need to say anything this time, as the cherry-blossom haired girl slumped down right next to Serafall, who shared her rain cloud with her.

"I shall bring back Shin-sama's clothes myself" with a barely audible sigh directed at the two depressed beauties, Grayfia spoke up, surprising Sirzechs and Ajuka to certain degree.

"Oh? Are you sure, Grayfia? We can just give them to Ria-tan in the morning-"

"There will be no need" the silver haired maid stated, leaving no room for questioning. "Shin-sama has entrusted me with these articles of clothing, and as such it is also my duty to return them. I would be a shameful maid if I couldn't even do this."

"Well, it sounds like you've made up your mind, huh?" Sirzechs chuckled lightly, earning a nod from the maid. "Then by all means, be the one to return Shin-kun's clothes. But don't forget some of your own while you're at it~"

 ***squeeze***

"That is not funny, Sirzechs-sama."

"It huwts, Gwayfia. Pwease let go..."

While Grayfia was reprimanding her King for the crude joke he made, Kuisha noticed how unusually quiet her own King was, and decided to speak up.

"You're quiet, Sairaorg. Are you unsatisfied with the interruption?"

"No, not at all. In fact, that interruption may have been a good thing."

"Hm? How so?"

Sairaorg then pointed toward one of the damaged parts of the room. Specifically, the area that was behind Sairaorg when the him and Shin were about to clash.

"-!"

Kuisha gasped, upon seeing the state of destruction that part of the room was.

Unlike the damage Sairaorg's power left behind, which was some floor tiles ripped out of place and a dent in the wall in the back, what Shin's power left behind was pure destruction.

The floor, was no more. There was only a massive channel carved through the floor leading up to a gigantic rip in the very wall. Everything was done so in a violent manner as well, proving that it was the power of Shin's violent burning flames who did all of that.

"If Shin Kurokawa's phone didn't stop us, then I'm quite certain he would've managed to knock me out. I wasn't prepared for that kind of power. This boy...For a human, he has the power of a monster."

Even though he knew he would've last if the two did clash, Sairaorg had a proud smile on his face. Because it showed him that a human was stronger than him, and that gave him renewed determination to get stronger, so the next time they meet, he wouldn't lose.

* * *

Back at the clubhouse, most of the members had already finished their activities and went home. Those being Issei, who had gone home a long time ago, and Koneko along with Kiba, whose wound was healed by Akeno a while after Shin left.

And speaking of, in the club only Rias, Akeno and Jeanne were left and they were currently enjoying a nice cup of tea.

 ***glow***

That was, until Shin's magic circle pattern lit up on the floor, causing Jeanne's face to light up, as she placed her cup down and jumped to her feet.

"Shi-cha-"

"No time, grab your shit, we're going!" Jeanne didn't even get to finish her sentence, as Shin jumped out of the magic circle and picked her up along with her back, before heading straight for the window.

"W-Wai- Shi-chan! U-Uh, thanks for letting me stay here Ria-chan! Talk to you all in the morning~!" and with that, both Jeanne and Shin had disappeared into the night, leaving a confused Rias and Akeno staring at the window the two jumped out of.

"...My, what a dynamic duo." was the only thing Akeno was able to remark, as she was still trying to figure out what just happened.

Rias could only give a slight nod, before shaking her head with a small smile.

* * *

 **Back at the Kurokawa Residence-**

 ***BANG***

"SAYAKA! KUROME! I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT ABOUT YOUUU!"

That, was the first thing Shin exclaimed, upon kicking his own door opened, nearly breaking it down altogether. He then dropped Jeanne and her suitcase right in the entrance hallway, before bolting upstairs while crying for out for his two pets.

Poor Jeanne was left alone and confused, amazed at how important the two pets were to Shin, even though it had been a little over two days since he got them.

"Oh, you poor things~ You must've been starving while I was away all day~" the blonde then heard Shin's voice from up the stairs.

And when she looked, she sweatdropped upon seeing Shin carry a quite sizable white husky in his arms, along with a small black cat on his head, both of which looked extremely confused as to what was happening.

The boy then went straight to the kitchen, where he placed the two animals down and went over to one of the cupboards. However, there was something curious on the door.

"What the..."

"Is something wrong, Shi-chan?" upon hearing Shin's confused voice, Jeanne walked into the kitchen as well, before the husky known as Sayaka was at her feet, identifying her, while Kurome seemingly watched her intently from the counter.

"This is weird. Someone must've entered the house"

"Someone broke in?!"

"Probably, but they didn't steal anything. They just left this note."

Shin handed Jeanne the note, who raised an eyebrow upon reading it.

"'Don't worry about your little animal friends, I've taken the liberty to make sure they have food and water while you're gone.' Huh? What a weird note. And what messy writing" the girl noted, handing Shin the note back.

"That means they suck at writing, or were in a hurry. And considering I was gone all day, the former is likely the case."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Nothing. They didn't steal anything, not to mention the said in their note that they were here to make sure Sayaka and Kurome weren't going to starve of die of thirst. For now, I'll let them be."

The boy then showed a rare smile to the blonde girl, who smiled in return.

"Now, welcome to your new home Jeanne. Let's get you settled in, okay? You have a big first day tomorrow."

* * *

 **And that's the chapter!**

 **Hey, how you doin', I'm not dead! It's a miracle~**

 **But seriously, I did say I was going to update this story again, and update I have!**

 **Quite a few things happened this chapter, huh? Shin met quite a lot of people today, characters that are going to show up in the future, and will be coming into contact with Shin some more.**

 **Well, not people like Diehauser, as he has other stuff he needs to attend to on a daily basis, but who knows, maybe Roygun will spontaneously drop by in the future, along with Serafall~**

 **And some more details on Shin have been revealed this chapter. Just who is Aeryon, and why do all of the old devils seem to know him, as well as to what exactly happened to him, and how he landed within Shin? All will be explained in the near future.**

 **Then again, maybe some of you can figure it out on your own, who knows?**

 **So yeah, that was this chapter. Now, unto the harems~**

 **Shin's Harem: Serafall, Yasaka, Jeanne, Akeno, Kuroka, Gabriel, WIP**

 **Issei's Harem: Rias, Asia, WIP**

 **The harem's didn't change since last chapter, as the new suggestions don't have enough votes. I said this in the original story, but there needs to be a certain amount of votes for a girl, before she's added to the harem.**

 **So if you want a girl in the harem, make sure to let me know, and as soon as I have enough votes for the girl, she will join the harem~**

 **Also, before I end this Author's note, I need to make a small announcement.**

 **I know I just came back, but I will have to put this story on the side for a bit, but it's with a good reason! The reason being:**

 **-I need to recap the whole series. That means, I have to re-read all the volumes, from the main to the side stories. I want to have everything refreshed and ready to go, so I won't have to come back to this story and change things every time I remember something new.**

 **So yeah, I hope you understand, and please forgive me!**

 **But I won't stop the story until I've finished that. No no no. I will keep updating, but reading up the Light Novels takes priority, so updates will still be quite slow.**

 **So with that, I end this Author note.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, tell me what you thought in the reviews, and until next chapter~**

 **Seeya~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Fairyfiction21:** **Cool suggestions~**

 **Shi the Sin of Sloth:** **Yes, I'm quite happy to see the story back in action as well~ I just can't stay away from Fanfiction, ehehe~**

 **Yeah, I love Sera as well. One of my favourites. Which is why I try to pay extra attention to getting her character right.**

 **I know, it's become an extremely over-used theme, but there just isn't really any other original way of introducing her anymore. Everyone is going to see it coming miles away. To me at least, the built up to her reveal in such situations has become simple comedic relief.**

 **Oh, I hear that thought alright. And it's certainly a possibility~**

 **From that sentence, I'm thinking you haven't looked at the second chapter in a while (wink wink). It's been edited, so you should probably take a look at it, since it contains a small scene that would make things a little clear about their connection.**

 **Mile De:** **Thanks~**

 **Itsuki Minami:** **I did just that! Thank you for suggesting it~**

 **Ruberforumfree:** **Check the new poll.**

 **Curse of Whimsy:** **She is in the harem now~ And yes, that's just how Shin is. A blunt, straight-to-the-point kind of guy, who loves his pets to bits.**

 **Kazuma shu:** **Noted~**

 **Lordcarroty: Thanks, and this story will continue for a while, don't worry~**

 **That one Kitsune:** **Why, I have no idea what you're talking about... *whistles innocently*...** **And noted~ Cya!**

 **Kynan99:** **You're welcome!**

 **Ivan meza** **: Noted~**

 **duked:** **Thanks~ And cool suggestions~**

 **torbenefb:** **Well, sorry, but Shin is going to have a few Lolis in the harem. That's just how it is. I can't simply ignore the majority vote.**

 **And now, with those reviews out of the way , unto the new chapter! Enjoy~**

 **Chapter 6: Surprises everywhere**

* * *

"Hey Shi-chan?"

"What is it Jeanne?"

Hearing Jeanne's voice call out, Shin's head peaked out from the kitchen, where he was currently washing the dishes from dinner.

"Can we watch a movie?" Jeanne asked, currently sat one the couch with Sayaka asleep on her lap and Kurome following suit a little further away.

Shin raised an eyebrow, before he glanced on the clock. It read 10 PM, which was late enough, considering the two had school in the morning. Closing his eyes, the boy released a soft sigh.

"We got school tomorrow Jeanne. It's your first day as well, so you shouldn't be arriving late. Trust me, I know that first hand."

"Ohh, c'mon Shi-chan~ We live close enough to the school to hit the hay a little late~ Besides, we're both fast enough to get to school in time no matter how late we wake up."

"Jeanne, just because we can, doesn't mean we should." Shin quickly reprimanded the girl, who pouted cutely. "Besides, we're here as normal high-school students. We need to behave as such."

"Mouu, you're such a stick in the mud sometimes" Jeanne said, her pout still very much present. But then, her expression changed to something that she knew would affect Shin, even if only slightly.

"Come on Shi-chan~ We haven't seen a movie together in a forever~" she spoke in a cute voice, wearing her best puppy expression on her face.

"-ah..", which proved to be quite effective, as Shin's eyes widened slightly and showed hesitation within them.

"Pretty pwease? For old times sake~"

Shin could feel how he was beginning to cave in. And he cursed himself for it.

Jeanne, was probably the only person among the many Shin had met over the years, who he could not say 'No' to, without feeling like a complete jackass. She just had this effect on him, which he simply could not ignore. She was a master at pulling on his heart strings.

' _Just what is with this girl? It's almost like...almost like I'm looking at another reincarnation of her...The only ones to have ever managed to thaw out the heart I froze a long time ago...'_ he mumbled sadly in his mind, his expression softening more and more with each second he looked at Jeanne's face.

 ***sigh** *

He then released a sigh whilst shaking his head, and looked back at Jeanne.

"...One movie."

"Yaaayy~"

And so, after turning the light off and powering the TV, Shin found himself dragged unto the couch where Jeanne wrapped herself in a blanket provided by Shin and snuggled close to the boy.

 ***plop***

She was also about to place herself on his lap, had it not been for the resident husky taking that spot for herself, while the black cat named Kurome climbed up to her favorite spot, which was Shin's shoulder. She then closed her eyes and began purring softly.

"Mouu, Sayaka-chan I wanted to sit on Shi-chan's lap" Jeanne spoke up, seeing her 'spot' get taken by the white husky. Said husky only glanced up at the girl, before ignoring her and going back to sleep, causing Jeanne to pout.

She then looked up at Shin, who was busy searching for a good movie to watch.

"Shi-chan, I wanna sit on your lap!"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"You're too old to be sitting on my lap anymore."

"Ufufu, you're just embarrassed I'll feel something poke me in the butt~ You like that kind of thing, don't you?"

 ***pfft!** *

Hearing Jeanne talk about such things, made Shin do a double take. He then looked away as a luminescent blush lit up on his face, which made Jeanne smirk teasingly.

"I-I don't know what your talking about", he stuttered slightly, which he cursed himself for as Jeanne leaned closer to his face.

"Oh really? Because I'm not Ku-chan, y'know? I heard what you and Yasaka-san would do at night. Sometimes even in broad daylight~"

"I thought she put up sound proof barriers..." Shin mumbled, glancing to the side with wide eyes.

Jeanne released a chuckle, keeping her teasing expression.

"Fufu, I told you I'm not Ku-chan. I'm old enough to know what's happening behind closed doors~"

"..."

"All of that action. I was really surprised when I saw it the first time."

"..."

"Such passion between you two. And so many positions. You definitely knew what you were doing Shi-chan, if Yasaka-san's moans were anything to go by~"

"..."

"'Oh Shin, you're so good at this! Ahnn~ I feel like I'm melting~' or 'Mhhm! I can feel it! It's pulsing inside me! Go ahead Shin! Shoot it all inside! I love it in my-"

"OH HEY LOOK A MOVIE IS GOING TO START SOON! LET'S SHUT UP AND WATCH IT!"

Shin's face couldn't burn any brighter from embarrassment, so he stopped flipping through channels and simply yelled that out, to stop Jeanne from revealing something even more embarrassing.

Jeanne felt whole seeing his reaction. She knew he was hard to tease and that the only one who managed to do so was Yasaka, so the blonde girl began to secretly pay attention to what the kitsune would say and memorized it.

The thing is, that Jeanne did not make anything up. Hence why it was super effective against Shin.

' _To think Jeanne saw all of that...Talk about new levels of embarrassment'_ Shin thought, sweating profusely while trying to cool down his burning face.

"You know, I wouldn't mind doing that stuff with you Shi-chan." Jeanne mumbled out of nowhere, causing Shin's eyebrow to twitch violently.

"Can we please stop fucking talking about me fucking?"

"Heheh, look the accent is back again. That means I got you all flustered~"

"Fucking hell..."

Jeanne laughed lightly, before snuggling closer to Shin. Shin raised an eyebrow, but didn't get the chance to question it as Jeanne spoke again.

"I'm serious though. I never did get to properly thank you for what you did for me all those years ago. I was going to die that day. Sacrificed for the belief of those people. But you came to me just in time and saved me. You were my knight in shining armor… which was drenched in blood~"

"Heh."

Shin released a short chortle which made Jeanne smile too. And then she felt how his hand wrapped around her body.

"What I did that day was nothing you need to thank me for. Especially with your body."

"But, that's what I want to do. For the five years we've been traveling, just the two of us, you took care of me. You protected me and taught me how to protect myself as well. You've been there for me when no one else was."

"What is with all the sappy speech all of a sudden?" Shin couldn't help but the question the sudden tone change of the usual hyperactive and cheerful Jeanne.

Said girl seemed surprised by the fact as well, thinking about it for a few seconds.

"I dunno. I guess, being like this with you after such a long time made me reminisce about the old days, huh~"

"Becoming so sentimental because of such a small thing? What a weird girl you are Jeanne."

"Heheh, you know you love this weird girl~"

"Haah...you're right, I do."

Saying that, Shin tightened his hold on Jeanne slightly, making a blush light up on the blonde's face, as her lips curved upward into a peaceful smile.

* * *

Then, silence befell the two for a while, until Jeanne spoke up again.

"You should start a harem y'know?"

"Dammit Jeanne why must you ruin this peaceful moment with that?"

"It's true! You captured the hearts of so many women, myself included, that if you chose one, it would be a painful rejection for some many others."

"Okay, consider me dense as a brick but to my knowledge, you and Yasaka are the only ones who feel like that."

"Shi-chan, you're definitely dense."

"-guh..."

"I didn't spend that much time with the ORC, but I could tell that at least Akeno-chan felt something toward you. Whether or not that's actual love remains to be seen, but it's definitely there."

"Okay, that's one person. Three in total. Love triangle at best."

"But but! Don't forget about Iri-chan!"

At that, a look of regret crossed Shin's face, but it only lasted for a second.

"That was a long time ago. Not to mention I betrayed her trust the moment we abandoned the church. There's no way she could still feel that way."

"Shi-chan, you seem to be underestimating the power of a girl's love. I saw it. The way she would always look up at you. Iri-chan is a good person. She isn't the type to hold grudges."

"Unlike someone else we know..."

"Yeah, she is definitely still mad at you and would most likely try to cut you the moment you two meet, but not Iri-chan! It's been just under six years now, so she definitely forgave you. That's just the type of person she is~"

"Okay, **maybe** four girls. Still not really harem-worth."

"C'mon Shi-chan, don't tell me you are just going to let Rose-chan suffer like that."

"Huh?" Shin was confused as to who Jeanne meant, which caused the blonde to look at him with a serious expression.

"Don't tell me you forgot! Poor Rose-chan always got picked on by her classmates for not having a boyfriend! Even O-jiji picked on her! You know how she would cry because of it. You definitely have to make Rose-chan your girlfriend, so she can finally be left alone by all those meanies!"

"Seriously Jeanne, that was still a few years back. She probably already found a boyfriend already."

"Shi-chan. You and me both know Rose-chan ain't finding a boyfriend on her own. Let's be realistic here."

"Okay, now **you're** the one who's being rude!"

"But it's true! She spends most of her time studying, so chances of her going out of her way for a boyfriend are really slim, you know? Just sayin'."

Shin sighed heavily and shook his head, but raised five fingers.

"Okay then, five. I'm starting to pick up what you're putting down, so can we please stop talking about a harem?"

"No, because there are others! I can feel it! It's like I'm having a premonition", she then closed her eyes and her face scrunched up, as if she was focusing on something really hard.

"Oho, I can see whole bunch of females around you Shi-chan. Among those, I can see...Milfs!"

 **pfft-!**

Shin couldn't help but double take when he heard that. But Jeanne wasn't done there.

"I also see...cougars!"

"Wait, like the feline?"

"No, baka Shi-chan! Older women! A bunch of older women, actually..." she spoke with a sweatdrop, before concentrating even more. "I also see..Oh! Oh! I see Akeno-chan! AND IRI-CHAN! Yes! They're also there! I can see it!"

"Maybe I should stop her now..." Shin mumbled under his breath, sweatdropping as the blonde continued describing her 'premonition'.

"Hmm...there's also a few other girls about our age. Oh! I think that one's a vampire! Do you know any vampires Shi-chan?"

"I don't think so- oooh fuck I do. Shit."

"Hehe, she'll also gonna be part of your harem!"

"Jeanne please stop."

"No, there's still a couple females left! Mmmh, that one looks like. Huh? I feel like I've seen that woman before."

"I'm gonna regret asking but what does she look like?"

"Hmm, can't make out details, but I can see she has long wavy blonde- oh hey a blonde like me! You seemingly have a thing for attracting blondes Shi-chan~ But anyway, long wavy blonde hair, a great bod and damn, look at them tiddies! So big!"

Shin seemed to think back pretty hard, but then his eyes widened by a considerable margin.

' _Aww fuuuuuck. Of all people, why her?! Dammit, why the most innocent one?! Then again, I guess since **He** is no longer around, it's not really that big of a deal what she does, but still...'_

"Mmh, what else is there? Oh. I see..." Shin unconsciously leaned a little closer to the girl to hear what she wanted to say. "Lolis. Yup. Definitely quite a few Lolis. Oh hey, Serafall-san is among them~ Figures, since she looks like a woman-child."

"...I...really don't know what to do with that information. It makes me feel dirty", Shin mumbled, looking at his own hand with worry.

But Jeanne was still focused on her vision.

"Now who else is there...Oh? I think...those girls have cat ears! You're gonna have Nekos in your harem, Shi-chan!"

"N-Nekos? Well...I really can't say I mind those..." Jeanne caught what Shin mumbled under his breath and smirked.

"Of course you wouldn't mind~ They're just like Yasaka-san~"

"Jeanne..."

"Anyway, I see some more girls! But...mmmhh...Damn I can't recognize any features! Crap!"

"Thank God." Shin was relieved to hear that Jeanne couldn't make out the rest of her premonition. That made the boy happy.

"Well, there were definitely more girls around you and I will definitely make out with them- Uh, I mean make them out! Yeah! I don't go for girls, though I can't say I'm not curious as to what a girl tastes like. Hmm, those fleshy mounds must be tasty. Right Shi-chan? You must know, since you couldn't keep your mouth off of them that one time with Yasaka-san-"

 ***PANG***

"Alright, that's enough out of you, peeping Tammy. You wanted to watch a movie so shut up and watch the movie. And stop saying such embarrassing things goddammit!" Shin promptly shut Jeanne up by karate-chopping her on the head. The girl yelped and held her head in slight pain, but stuck her tongue out regardless.

"Alright, I'll stop~", she laughed victoriously, having managed to get Shin all flustered again. "But I'm still curious..."

"Just watch the damn movie..." Shin sighed heavily, as the pair finally focused on the movie that was being shown on TV.

* * *

 ***Da-ding* *da-ding* *da-ding* *ding* *da-ding* *da-ding* *ding***

Eyebrows were raised, as an iconic song began playing in the background of the movie. Jeanne turned her head to Shin with an uncomfortable expression.

"Uhh..Shi-chan? Isn't that...'Tubular Bells'?" she questioned with an uneven laugh.

"Fairly certain it is, Jeanne. What a nice song." Shin however, seemed quite peaceful and calm. He didn't seem to realize exactly what they had ended up watching.

"Shi-chan. What movie are we watching?"

"Hmm, dunno. Lemme check real quick...It says the movie's called, 'The Exorcist'. Oh hey, I'm familiar with the term~"

"Y-Yeah..." Jeanne, didn't look like she wanted to see this movie. "C-Can we watch something else?"

"But why?"

"Have you not heard about 'The Exorcist'?! It's the scariest movie of all time!"

"Oh please, it can't be that bad." Shin brushed the notion off. "There's probably a dozen movies scarier than this. The Ring, would be one of them. **That** , is one scary movie. Get's you all paranoid whenever your TV has static."

"B-But still..."

"Relax Jeanne. I was an Exorcist as well, remember? I've probably seen the real deal and it's really not all that scary. Sure, there were some devils who were ugly AF, but this can't possibly top that."

 **A little while later**

" _Let Jesus fuck you. Let him fuck you!"_ the possessed girl repeated, whilst masturbating with a crucifix.

' _I've made a terrible mistake..._ ' Shin mumbled in his mind, a disgusted expression on his face but his eyes still glued to the TV. _'This...is disgusting. Jeanne was right, this movie is gonna give me nightmares.'_

He looked down beside him, where at least Jeanne was peaceful, snoring lightly and clinging to Shin's body like glue. The boy smiled lightly when he saw this, before he gave a fairly loud yawn. He then glanced at the clock, seeing it was almost midnight.

He glanced at Jeanne once more, deciding that he didn't want to awaken her so he'd just let her continue sleeping using his body as a pillow. And so, he turned the TV off and closed his eyes as well, letting sleep overtake him.

But as he fell asleep, a figure walked into the living room from the kitchen, a pair of hazel-gold eyes shining in the darkness.

"Hmm, he looks so cute when he's sleeping. And the girl seems to be pretty sweet herself, Such a cute pair, nyaa. I especially like Jeanne-chan's mentality~ She even saw Nekos, hmm? I wonder if I'm among them. Or maybe it's Shirone? Or maybe both~" she then nimbly made her way over to the boy, and stealthily crawled on top of him, careful to not wake anyone up. Even Sayaka was peacefully asleep.

The person's eyes then neared Shin's face with a lusty gaze.

"Hmm, you definitely smell like a man. The scent of other women around your body...it makes me all tingly nya. But don't worry, you can add my own scent to yourself soon enough~ I can't reveal myself just yet, but from what I picked up during your conversation with Jeanne-chan a while back, once you have this town to yourself, I can finally roam as I please around here. And most importantly, we can start making some super strong babies, nyaa~ So get ready, okay Shin-chan? Because we'll be having so much fun in the future nyaa~"

A few hours passed by, where the pair consisting of Shin and Jeanne, along with the resident pets known as Kurome and Sayaka, slept together peacefully on the couch. It was almost like a big family, only without the parents.

But since Shin had forgotten to pull the blinds all the way last night, golden rays of sun slowly began seeping inside the room, eventually hitting Jeanne's face and causing the girl to stir awake.

"Mmhh.." she groaned lightly after being awakened from her slumber, and opened her eyes to glance around the room.

She then slowly raised her body, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Stretching her body, Jeanne looked down on the boy she had slept on and smiled softly, seeing his sleeping form. She then nimbly got off the couch without waking anyone up, and leaned over Shin.

 ***chu***

She then planted a quick kiss on his lips, before taking a step back and walking out of the room.

' _Fufu, I never get to give him a proper kiss, so this will have to do~'_ she giggled in her mind, bouncing through the hallway on her way to the bathroom so she could have a shower and get ready for her first day of school.

Meanwhile, Shin continued his peaceful sleep together with his dear pets.

 ***glow***

However, that was about to change as a red magic circle appeared inside the living room and glowed brightly.

[-!] naturally, Sayaka and Kurome's ears perked up when it happened, both waking up and looking directly toward the magic circle in question. However, Kurome seemingly recognized the circle as her eyes widened and she quickly scurried off somewhere else in the house.

And just in time, as circle's glow gradually died down to reveal the person that teleported into Shin's home.

A french maid outfit, silver hair and a generous bust.

' _So this is Shin-sama's residence? It seems...cozy'_ Grayfia thought in her mind, glancing around the room she was in.

In her hands, was the reason for her unexpected visit. Namely, Shin's clothes which he had forgot in her care the night before. And on a careful glance, it seemed Grayfia even took the time to properly prepare them for Shin.

Speaking of, the busty maid heard noises coming from the boy, as he mumbled something incoherently. Glancing over, she raised an eyebrow as she saw Shin twist his body around slightly with an uncomfortable expression on his face.

' _A nightmare, perhaps?'_ Grayfia wondered, putting his clothes aside and proceeding to walk toward the boy to try and wake him up out of his apparent nightmare.

 ***groowl***

However, a step was all she managed to take, before Sayaka raised her body and stood protectively over Shin, releasing a low growl toward the maid, which surprised her. She didn't really know what to do except take the step back and just extended her hand forward.

"It's fine. I do not wish to hurt Shin-sama. I merely want to help him" she spoke toward the dog, hoping it understood her. She hadn't come in contact with many dogs, so she wasn't exactly sure how to approach the situation, beside letting the dog know she wasn't a threat.

"..." to her surprise, it seemed to work. Kind of.

Sayaka had stopped growling, however she still kept a close eye on Grayfia.

Seeing the small progress, the silverette took a step forward and waited for a reaction from the dog. She got no negative one, so she took another step. Again, nothing, so she slowly walked toward the couch.

 ***sniff* *sniff***

Once Grayfia was close enough, Sayaka leaned forward and sniffed the woman's hand for a bit. She then looked back up, and with a slight nod moved her body away, as if acknowledging Grayfia as 'safe'.

"Thank you for understanding." Grayfia reciprocated the dog's gesture, which surprised her to begin with, before she turned her sights on Shin, who was still showing an uncomfortable face.

"Shin-sama?" she spoke lightly at first, not wanting to wake Shin too suddenly as she didn't know what he was going to do in that case. However, Shin showed no sign of waking up, so she called his name again a little louder.

Still nothing.

Showing a complicated expression, she reached her hand forward and placed it on his chest. She then shook his body slightly and called his name again, louder than before.

"Shin-sama-"

 ***grip***

"-Kya?!"

To her utter surprise, when she called his name, the boy swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, causing her let out an uncharacteristic squeak before falling on top of the boy. He then quickly wrapped his arms around her frame as if to protect her.

"S-Shin-sama?" she stuttered due to the sudden close proximity between the two, with her face quite close to his own. This caused her some embarrassment, which was made evident by the luminescent blush on her face.

' _Just don't forget your own clothes there~'_ in this situation, Grayfia was annoyed by Sirzechs' words ringing out inside her head. She dreaded what would have happened if he were present and saw the situation. He would've most likely taken pictures, just to embarrass Grayfia on future occasions. That was something he enjoyed doing.

' _Sirzechs-sama and his embarrassing words...I couldn't possibly do such things to Shin-sama. I will not force myself upon him like Serafall-sama and Roygun-sama.'_ although she said that with conviction in her mind, her eyes displayed something else while they were glued to Shin's face.

"Nngh..." said boy was still experiencing a nightmare of sorts, and was no beginning to mumble something a little louder than before.

"P-Please...don't...go..."

Hearing him mumble this, made Grayfia feel complicated, as she assumed he was talking to her in his sleep. However, the rational part of her mind realized he was talking to something in his dream, and simply came out in the real world as well.

' _He must be thinking of someone from his past. Come to think of it, I only feel one other presence in the house, and she seems about the same age as Shin-sama. She must be the Jeanne-sama he spoke about last night. It's too early for anyone to go to work at this time, so that must mean that...'_ a sympathetic look washed over Grayfia's features, as she looked back at the boy under her with sad eyes.

And she then felt Shin tighten his hold on her ever so slightly, which surprised her.

"Don't...d-don't leave...me...Sei...lah.." Grayfia understood the beginning, however it became more mumbled toward the end causing her hear the final words a little different.

' _Se..ra? Did he say Sera? Is he...thinking of Serafall-sama?'_ the busty maid was confused, and it showed on her face.

She then decided, that it would be the best to get out of the boy's grasp and wake him up finally, so she could hand him his clothes and be back on her way.

"*woof*-!"

 ***lick***

However, before she could attempt to move, the white husky trotted up to Shin's face, barking once and proceeding to lick Shin's face causing Grayfia's eyes to widen as she didn't want for Shin to wake up with her in his arms. It was simply too embarrassing for her.

But it was too late for that as well, as somehow, Sayaka's method of waking Shin up proved more effective than the silverette's, evident by Shin's eyes fluttering open.

"H-Huh…?" he looked around slightly, releasing a soft sigh. "Yeah, that's right. I'm here. It was a nightmare. Just a..." and then, his eyes landed on the woman in his arms, whose face displayed an ever noticeable blush.

.

.

.

"AAAHHH!"

 ***thud***

Naturally, Shin's first reaction was to shout in surprise, before his instincts kicked in and he tried to roll away. However, it didn't work as planned and he ended up rolling off the bed, taking poor Grayfia with him on the way down.

Though, depending on where your stance is on the matter, what happened next can be seen as a very fortunate accident.

 ***chu***

Namely, due to the tumble, Shin And Grayfia's bodies became pressed together, which ultimately resultied in them locking lips, both of their eyes opening wide in shock. A situation most men Shin's age would die for, including a certain brown haired pervert he knew.

Neither of the two moved, as they were both still in shock of what was happening. Both knew they needed to move, break up the kiss. However, their bodies didn't participate.

* * *

 ***BANG***

And fortunately enough, maybe, a loud bang was heard from upstairs, followed by hurried footsteps down the stairs and through the hall.

"Shi-chan, are you okay?! What happened?!"

Naturally, hearing Shin's scream, Jeanne immediately interrupted her shower, banged the bathroom door open and hurried over to where Shin was, appearing in the living room with a silver European sword clutched tightly in her hands.

 ***drip* *drip***

However, as she hurried directly out of the shower, she didn't bother to put anything on and was now standing in the middle of the living room in the nude, the water dripping down her fair skin making it glisten in the rays of sun that seeped into the room.

"Shi-chan?" she didn't see Shin at first, however she soon looked on the ground where she saw him and Grayfia in the compromising position. "Oh...O-Oh my! I'm sorry for interrupting!" instead of getting mad or anything like that, the naked beauty apologized, making her sword disappear in a similar fashion to Shin's own Galatine.

But she then gained a certain look on her face, as if she remembered something.

"Wait a second, could this woman...could she be one of the Milfs I saw in my vision last night? Wait no, she looks too young to be a mother, so maybe one of the cougars? Or maybe..."

Grayfia and Shin heard Jeanne begin to mumble to herself, which cause both of them to sweatdrop. But, that was all they needed to come back to their senses and regain control of their bodies.

First to use that, was Shin, who quickly broke the kiss and stood up. He then promptly bowed deeply, with a slight blush on his face.

"I-I'm very sorry Grayfia-san! I was just s-surprised is all! I swear I didn't mean that!"

"N-No, it's fine. It was my fault for coming in unannounced like that to begin with, Shin-sama." Shin apologized, but Grayfia knew it wasn't his fault for what happened so she wasn't angry.

After all, this kind of thing was what she hoped to avoid while trying to wake him up earlier.

The maid then stood up and dusted herself off, before doing the same as Shin and bowing her head.

"I must humbly apologize for scaring you like that, Shin-sama. I came here to return your clothes which you forgot last night at the party, but...things got a little complicated" she explained with a small sweatdrop, causing Shin to raise his head as his eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh, that's right! I got so worried about Sayaka and Kurome that I just ran out of there and forgot all about my clothes. Well, guess it was a good idea to ask you to take care of them huh?" he laughed slightly while scratching the back of his head.

"Wait, you were at a party last night, Shi-chan?" Jeanne questioned from the side. "Is that where Serafall-san dragged you off to?! Why was I not invited?!"

She then crossed her arms over her pretty sizable bust, and wore a pout on her face. She still didn't do anything to cover herself up, however.

"Trust me, you were better off with Rias and the others. That party was about as dead as a funeral, bar that little spar at the end. That proved quite entertaining." Shin then gestured at the maid stood next him. "By the way. Jeanne, this is Grayfia Lucifuge, Lucifer's Queen. Also, arguably the most normal of the bunch. Truly, if it wasn't for her helping me out, I might've not been able to come back home last night."

"You give me too much credit, Shin-sama. I was merely doing what I thought what right." Grayfia then turned to face Jeanne and took a bow. "Good day to you. You must be the Jeanne-sama that Shin-sama spoke about last night. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am the maid, Grayfia."

"Hello, Grayfia-san~ Let's be friends, okay~ May I call you Grayfia-chan?"

Jeanne answered in her usual way, causing Shin to release a silent chuckle, while Grayfia raised her body and gave a short nod.

"As you wish, Jeanne-sama."

After introductions were over, Grayfia quietly grabbed Shin's clothes and presented them to the boy.

"I figured you would be tired after everything that happened last night, so I decided to let you rest for the night and return your clothes to you in the morning" she said, as Shin took his clothes back with a grateful look. "Also, I noticed that your blazer had a few unsightly wrinkles, so I took the liberty of ironing it so you may look presentable at school. I hope you don't mind."

"It's fine, Grayfia-san. I'm quite grateful, actually. I simply took the uniform out of the box and threw it on. I didn't bother to iron it or anything."

"Don't lie, Shi-chan~ You were afraid you'll burn the only uniform you have like the other clothes you tried to iron~" Jeanne called Shin's lie out with a laugh, causing a vein to appear on Shin's forehead.

"Grr, dammit Jeanne! Stop telling people things they aren't supposed to know!"

"Oh, stop complaining Shi-chan. Grayfia-chan won't laugh."

"Still! You need to learn to keep to yourself! You already told the ORC I'm a natural Holy Sword wielder and who knows what you'll blurt out next!" at that, Grayfia's eyes widened slightly.

"You are a Holy Sword wielder, Shin-sama?" she questioned, causing Shin's expression to turn blank and curse under his breath.

"Dammit, I forgot only the ORC knew about that..."

"Does that mean you are also an Exorcist?" there was a certain undertone in Grayfia's tone, however it wasn't anything negative. It was genuine curiosity, as she wanted to confirm something.

"Well, I used to be an Exorcist in the past. But, things happened that made me question them and eventually leave. Jeanne, was one of those things."

Grayfia raised an eyebrow, before glancing at Jeanne only to now realize that there were light burn scars spread over her body. They were very faint, and the only reason she noticed them in the first place was because the blonde was naked and everything was visible.

However, only now did Jeanne show any sort of discomfort with her body being out in the open, shown by her attempt to cover up whatever scars were visible on her body. And those few scars that remained were only around her joints, where the skin wasn't as smooth as the rest of her body.

Grayfia saw this and bowed her head apologetically.

"I apologize, Jeanne-sama. I didn't mean to stare and make you uncomfortable."

"I-It's fine, Grayfia-chan. I got over it a long time ago and the majority of scars were healed, but I guess I just can't completely let go of the sight. I always feel like they're still there, y'know?"

"Yes, I understand. I guess it is to be expected. But you have nothing to worry about. Your skin is fine just the way it is, Jeanne-sama."

"Aww, that's so sweet Grayfia-chan! Hehe, thanks for trying to cheer me up~" the blonde smiled brightly, making a small smile appear on both Shin and Grayfia's faces. Jeanne then turned to Shin and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her naked body against his.

"Although, the only one I need to be comfortable with my skin is Shi-chan~ And as you can see, he doesn't mind~"

"Jeanne, I've already told you. Even if all those scars from before remained, I still would look at you the same way I look at you now."

"Aw, shucks~ With such killer words, I feel like I might need another shower~" the blonde beauty cooed, hugging Shin even tighter. Said boy sweatdropped, along with Grayfia.

"Yeah...you do that."

 ***riing* *riing***

It was then that Shin's alarm clock began ringing from upstairs, although it was clearly heard even from the living room.

"It appears it is time for you two to get ready. Shin-sama. Jeanne-sama. I have taken up enough of your time. Again, please excuse my unannounced visit and good luck today."

"Yeah, no worries Grayfia-san. You take care too. If you ever need to rewind, you're always welcome here. Since you told me that Lucifer can be just as tough to handle as Serafall."

"Oh yes, please promise me you'll drop by again Grayfia-chan! I would love to get to know you some more~"

"If such a thing is asked of me...Then, it would be very rude of me to refuse. Very well then. I promise I shall visit sometime whenever I have some free time between my duties, Jeanne-sama. And Shin-sama, Serafall-sama has asked me to help you fulfill your duties as a...I guess Proxy-Queen. So if you ever have something you wish to know, feel free to call upon me."

And with that, the same magic circle she first came through lit under Grayfia's feet before it glowed brightly. And with a final bow, the woman disappeared from the room, leaving Shin and Jeanne all alone.

Well, bar Sayaka who quickly trotted over to the pair and Kurome who only now came back from wherever she had been inside the house. She then walked up and rubbed her body between Shin and Jeanne's legs, as the two still looked on where Grayfia was just a second ago.

"...You definitely need to make her a part of your Harem, Shi-chan."

"Not this again..."

"I mean it Shi-chan! Grayfia-chan is the whole package! Both metaphorically, and quite literally, if you know what I mean~"

"Jeanne, you need to stop with the harem stuff."

"I will never! I am now officially making it my mission to get you a harem Shi-chan! You can't keep playing the lone wolf. You aren't alone anymore."

Jeanne's face turned a little sympathetic toward the end, knowing something only a few ever discovered.

She saw it everyday in the past. And even now, on occasion, she would see it. A certain loneliness and longing for someone, was present in Shin's eyes. Jeanne knew it was that longing that was slowly eating away at him. It had gotten better over the years, and the blonde attributed that to Yasaka taking them in, which put Shin back into the 'family' setting he lost all those years ago. But it was still not enough to bring him back completely. So, naturally, she thought there was still a hole that needed to be filled and she'll be damned if she didn't fill in that hole in whichever way possible. Even if that meant she'd have to surround Shin with girls, she'd do it.

Because Shin had saved her life before, she now saw it as her mission to help Shin live out a normal life again.

However, what Jeanne didn't know, was that the hole in Shin's heart already belonged to someone else, and they were the only ones who could possibly fill it up again.

"Heh. Alone, huh? I'm never alone Jeanne" Shin laughed slightly, causing a smile to appear on Jeanne's face as well.

"See? That's the spirit! Everyone needs some friends Shi-chan~ You'll see that with them, the world becomes much brighter~"

"Fufu, my world is bright enough already. I have you three and even that can become too much."

"Don't say that Shi-chaaan~ You can never have too many friends~"

"Well, with your boundless energy it feels like I'm dealing with ten people at once."

"Hey, I have ADHD! You can't blame me for being born like this. Besides I...I-I...A-ACHOO!"

Jeanne wanted to say something else, however, a sudden large sneeze threw a wrench in those plans. Then, she began shivering slightly.

Shin saw this and sighed, before looking at the blonde sternly.

"This is what you get for standing out here naked and wet! You're going back into that shower before you catch a cold, or worse. Off with you."

However, the blonde had other plans, evident by the smirk she gained on her face. She then swiftly placed Shin's arm between her naked breasts and pulled lightly.

"Hmm, why don't you come with me then? It's gonna take too long if we use the shower consecutively, not to mention it'll cost more. So why don't we shower together, hmm? The shower is more than big enough for the two of us~"

Shin looked on blankly, before he shook his head lightly.

"If you hadn't been right with the water bill and time efficiency, I would've refused. However, just this once, you make a valid enough point for me to consider it.

"Yaay~ Let's go then Shi-chan! I'll wash your back for you!"

And with that, Jeanne dragged Shin upstairs and pulled him into the bathroom with her. Following that, multiple...sensual sounds commenced, all coming from Jeanne and also all of them being actually nothing more than the blonde over exaggerating.

All it was was Shin helping wash her back, which she made overly sexual, except for that one instance where she made Shin wash her thighs and she 'accidentally' turned so his hand would brush past her nether region. That, truly did ignite an aroused moan from Jeanne.

But nevertheless, after a few minutes of such shower action, both walked out the door with Jeanne looking quite happy and refreshed, while Shin seemed a little more tired than before.

"That was such a nice shower, Shi-chan~ Did you enjoy it as much as I did?"

"Oh man, I never experienced anything better..."

"You sound so disappointed. Hmm, maybe next time I should wash **this** for you~"

 ***grab***

And with that, her hand quickly went toward the boy's pants and grabbed his scepter, causing Shin's eyes to widen at the sudden touch and naturally, stiffen.

"Hehe, there's the big boy~ Strong and healthy it seems~ No wonder Yasaka-san is much happier when you spend the night~"

"You seriously need to stop this."

Saying that, Shin gently removed Jeanne's hand from his 'soldier' and hurried ahead. Jeanne saw this and chuckled perversely, something that was a rare occurrence in her.

"You can't run forever Shi-chan. You've already done it with Yasaka-san and I will not be left behind~"

A while later, both teens were making their way over to Kuoh Academy.

Shin was wearing his usual attire, while Jeanne was now sporting the female uniform at Kuoh, which Shin had to admit seemed to fit her quite nicely. Although he couldn't help but noticed that it seemed a little tight around her chest region.

' _Since she got the uniform herself, I hardly believe it was a mistake...'_ he though suspiciously, believing Jeanne got a tighter shirt on purpose. Whether that was to attract attention, or just to tease Shin, he didn't know yet.

"You're staring at my breasts, Shi-chan. Are they really that nice to look at?" Jeanne's voice snapped Shin out of his inner monologue, as he looked up at Jeanne's smug smirk.

"It's nothing."

"Mmhh..." Jeanne pouted at Shin's lack of reaction, which he caught and made a mental note. Just like how Jeanne knew how to tease him, Shin now knew how to repel her.

Then, it was silent between the two. But not for long, as Shin spoke up again.

"So, you excited for your first day? It's on a very short notice, so I think everyone will be surprised to see you."

"Ohh, I like surprising people~ And yes, I'm very excited! I can't wait to see what everyone is like!"

"As to be expected. However, word of advice. Don't join the Kendo Club, first off. I know you'd want to join someplace where you can practice your swordsmanship, but that place seems to be plagued by the 'Perverted Trio', as I've heard they're called. So yeah, stay away from that place, unless you want to be peeped on."

"Don't worry about that Shi-chan~ Ria-chan told me yesterday that, since I know about the supernatural and all that, she'll take me in the ORC so I can do my own stuff in peace. Though I did want to join a kendo club, but since you said it's not safe for a girl, I'll trust you~"

"Good. And another thing...it was a bad choice to put on that tight top."

"Why?"

"...You'll see." Shin didn't see any more than that, which confused Jeanne.

The two kept walking in silence for a while after that, until Kuoh academy came into view.

And from there, as soon as they stepped through the gates, the ever-present whispers of the students were heard.

"Look, it's our King! But, who's that girl next to him?"

"She looks like a foreigner. Maybe she's a transfer student too?"

"But I thought Kurokawa-san was the only transfer student? I'm quite confused."

"Maybe she transferred on a short notice? Or word just got muddled up until it turned into 'we're only getting one transfer student'."

"Never mind that! They're walking so close to one another! She's already stealing our King!"

"Do you think she's his girlfriend?! Nooo! I wanted to be Kurokawa-kun's girlfrieeend!"

Hearing the female wails, Shin sweatdropped heavily, while Jeanne seemed more amused than anything. Giggling, she glanced up at Shin.

"I already like these people, Shi-chan~"

"Yeah, you say that now. Just wait 'till we pass the boys. You may change your mind."

And he was right.

As soon as they passed the girls, Shin and Jeanne began hearing male voices talking amongst themselves.

"Damn, look at that beauty! She's so hot!"

"Man, foreign girls are the best! She looks European too! They have some of the best-looking chicks in the world!"

"Ohoho, I can definitely see that! Look at those breasts! And that ass! Mmh, it's like she's teasing us with that outfit!"

"Holy shit, you're right! Look at her shirt! They look just about to burst!"

"Shit dawg, I hope she got transferred to my class! I can't take my eyes off of her!"

"Screw you, she definitely got transferred to **my** class! You already have hot chicks in your class."

"Yeah, but not a foreigner. Not to mention a beautiful blonde, ehehe..."

Hearing more lewd comments from the boys, shin turned his head to Jeanne, who still seemed undisturbed.

"See what I'm talking about?"

"C'mon Shi-chan, boys will be boys. Besides, why do you care about what they say. Are you, perhaps, getting jealous~?"

She captured his arm between her breasts and spoke teasingly, but got brushed off by Shin with no difficulty.

"No, I'm simply looking out for my little sister."

"Aww, for you to call me your 'little sister'~ It's making me feel all tingly~"

"Hey, Kurokawa! Wait up!" their little discussion was interrupted by a familiar voice calling out from behind them.

Glancing back, Shin saw none other than Kuoh's resident pervert and newly-reincarnated-Devil running toward them while waving. Though, that changed when he saw Jeanne standing next to him, as his eyes turned to hearts and blood started dripping from his nose.

' _Damn, look at those oppai! They're ready to burst! Lemme help you out of your confines, new girl's oppai!'_ without even thinking, Issei leaped toward Jeanne with a perverted expression, letting his pervert instinct kick in.

Jeanne saw this and was surprised, however, she didn't need to do anything.

 ***BANG* *crash***

"Don't you ever try to touch Jeanne, lecherous pervert."

"...I-I see you...took a page from K-Koneko-chan's book...And you're r-right. I'm sorry foreigner-chan...I let my instincts kick in at the wrong t-time..."

Issei spoke, currently firmly planted in the concrete at Jeanne's feet, courtesy of Shin.

Seeing the pervert leap at Jeanne like that, Shin couldn't help but hold nothing back when he smashed his suitcase over Issei's head, causing him to crash straight into the ground, leaving an evident lump on the brunette's head.

However, Jeanne didn't seem to mind what Issei had just tried to do.

"It's alright...Issei-chan, was it? I don't mind. But please refrain from doing that in the future. Shi-chan is the only one who can see my breasts, okay? But if you really want, I can show you my panties?"

"YES PLEASE-!"

 ***STOMP***

"Jeanne, don't egg the pervert on" Shin said, having just stomped on Issei's head hard, forcing his face even further into the concrete, as punishment for trying to look at Jeanne's panties.

"Aww, fine. Sorry Issei-chan, but I can't show you my panties either. Shi-chan seems to be quite selfish~"

Jeanne spoke, and if one listened closely, they would hear crying coming from the downed Issei. He was shedding tears at not being able to get what his perverted instincts wished for.

After Issei got back up from the punishment Shin delivered to him, the three walked into school together, before Shin and Jeanne let Issei head straight to class, as they still needed to check in with the student council.

The midnight haired teen then led Jeanne to the Student Council room, where he knocked twice on the door.

" _Yes? Come in."_ Sona's voice was heard form behind the door. Shin glanced at Jeanne and gave a short nod, before opening the door and letting the girl step inside first, with him following after.

Inside, Shin saw only Sona and Tsubaki were present this time.

"Ah, Kurokawa-san. It's good to see you again." Sona glanced up at the two teens and greeted with a slight smile. Her sights then shifted solely unto Jeanne. "And Jeanne-san as well. You look quite happy today. I take you're excited to start?"

"Yup, yup! I can't wait to meet new people and make friends~"

"Fufu, what an upbeat personality. If only everyone had your mindset when starting out. Anyway, this is my Queen Jeanne-san. Tsubaki, please introduce yourself."

Sona glanced back at her Queen, who took a step forward and bowed.

"Of course, Kaichou. A good day to you, Jeanne-san. My name is Tsubaki Shinra, the Vice-President of the Student Council. I am also a devil under Kaichou. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Hehe, it's nice to meet you too, Tsubaki-chan~ May I call you that?"

"Hmm, very well. You may address me as 'Tsubaki-chan', Jeanne-san."

"Yaay~"

As Jeanne conversed some more with Tsubaki, Sona glanced at the boy next to her.

"Your 'sister' is quite energetic, Kurokawa-san" Sona couldn't help but point that out, which made Shin chuckle slightly.

"Tell me about it. But you haven't seen anything yet. Her boundless energy makes it seem like you're dealing with multiple people at once. It get's tiring."

"It sounds like you have it rough."

"Meh, I've gotten used to it. It's amusing sometimes."

"I see. Well, to be honest, you should be glad you have Jeanne-san. From what I can see, she's very similar to Onee-sama, in terms of personality. If you can deal with Jeanne-san, then you have much better chances of keeping Onee-sama at bay as well. Frankly, I beg that you do just that."

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll do my best to keep her in line. At least until she can officially reincarnate someone into her Queen. Then it'll be up to them, probably."

"Ah yes, I almost forgot about the little mishap with Onee-sama's Queen Piece. Looks like she couldn't reincarnate you after all?"

"That's right. Beelzebub said the Evil Pieces wouldn't work on me regardless, because of a dragon named 'Aeryon' that supposedly sealed inside me."

Hearing that, Sona's eyes widened in recognition.

"That name...The Dragon God of Destruction? But, that dragon was killed centuries ago."

"Yeah, that's what everyone said. And yet, both Tiamat and Tannin confirmed that Aeryon really did stick around, as a soul sealed within me."

"So two Dragon Kings confirmed it, huh? So what we felt inside you was Aeryon's soul. Quite intriguing."

"Well it is what it is. Now then, Jeanne." hearing Shin call her name, Jeanne turned her smiling face to him. "Classes are about to start. We should get going."

"Okay, coming Shi-chan~" and with that, she bounced back to his side, where she bowed her head toward Sona and Tsubaki. "See ya later, Tsubaki-chan. Sona-chan."

"Yes, until we meet again, Jeanne-san" Sona said, nodding her own head along with Tsubaki. "I take it you can take care of showing Jeanne-san around the school, Kurokawa-san?"

"Yeah, you can leave it to me. Anyway, later."

And with that, Shin and Jeanne left the Student Council room and went on their way toward class.

Obviously, as it was for Shin a few days ago, Jeanne waited outside the classroom until the teacher called on her.

"Alright class, it's on a very short notice, but it seems we're getting another transfer student today. And please, for the love of God, do not ambush her like you did with Kurokawa-kun."

When the teacher said that, the class turned sheepish again and nodded with a sweatdrop.

"Alright then. Jeanne-san, please come in and introduce yourself."

Hearing the teacher's voice, the door opened and the blonde beauty came bounding in, practically feeling the classroom with positive vibes as she did.

She then took her place at the front of the class next to the teacher's desk, and smiled brightly toward the students.

"Hello everyone! My name is Jeanne Kurokawa, but you can all just call me 'Jeanne-chan'~ I hope we can all be friends~"

That was Jeanne's short and energetic introduction.

"Maan, the hottie is in our class! I feel so much happiness right now!"

"I hear ya man! Everyday is going to be so much brighter with Jeanne-chan in our class!"

Obviously, the males were very happy about the fact that Jeanne was in their class, since that meant that they could feast their eyes on her pretty much every day. However, one boy in the class raised a very important question, which resonated with every other male in the room.

"Hold on a second...did she say her last name is Kurokawa?"

"Oh yeah, your right. But wait...that means..."

At that moment, a sudden wave of dread washed over every single male in the room, bar one. And Jeanne was more than happy to elaborate as to why that was, as well as answer the question.

"Well yeah, that's because Shi-chan is my big brother~" she sang, pointing at the ravenette in front of her.

 ***GLOOOM***

"And yes, as you can see, Shi-chan is very protective of me~"

She didn't even need to say that, as every male in the room already figured that out by the murderous gaze Shin was giving each and every one of them. He even had a dark aura surrounding him, and some could swear they saw a horrible Oni-mask floating next to his head. Seeing this, the boys in the room got a clear message from Shin.

 _ **[Try anything with Jeanne, and even the cruelty of castration will pale in comparison to what I'm going to do you]**_

 ***GULP***

A joint gulp was heard by the boys in the room, who got Shin message clearly.

Even the teacher, was quite frightened by Shin's overwhelming killing intent directed toward anyone who wanted to try anything inappropriate with Jeanne.

"Kurokawa-kun is scary.."

"He's just playing his role as a big brother and looking out for Jeanne-chan. I find that quite sweet, actually."

Some of the girls in class whispered among themselves, with some gaining an even bigger crush on Shin, due to seeing this overprotective side of his.

"O-Okay then...Uh, Jeanne-san, you may take a seat next to Kurokawa-san. If that's what you wish..."

The teacher spoke a little uneasy, as Shin's aura still hadn't dispersed. However Jeanne had no problem with it, so she nodded her head and bounced over to the conveniently empty seat directly next to Shin.

And after that, classes resumed normally. Of course, some of the boys glanced over at Jeanne with lecherous eyes every so often, partly because of the tight top she wore which was bound to gather attention, however Shin was always somehow aware of the gazes she was getting, so was ready to send his own intense gaze at whoever looked at Jeanne with such eyes.

After a while, the bell signaling recess rang through the school, making teachers pause their classes and allowing students to wind back for a bit and relax. As usual, most brought out their bentos and sat together to eat, while some left the classroom.

In this particular case whoever, the majority of the students swarmed Jeanne's desk, to ask her all sorts of questions and get to know her a little more. Fortunately, it was mostly women, along with a few boys who Shin felt had no ill intentions.

"Hey, Kurokawa." hearing Issei whisper his name, Shin turned his head back and glanced at the brunette. "Is Jeanne-chan really your sister? You two don't look anything alike."

"No, she's not my literal sister. More like, adoptive sister. I found her a few years back in a very bad state and decided to take her under my wing for a while. After that, someone got custody of both of us, so we basically became siblings."

"Oh so that's how it is? Damn, sounds like you two went through quite a bit, huh?"

"You'd be surprised." Shin said that in a low tone, letting Issei know that it was a touchy subject, so he didn't question it further. "Say, how is devilhood treating you Hyoudou? Tonight is your first night out isn't it?"

Issei was a little surprised that Shin wanted to know about such a thing, but he answered regardless.

"Y-Yeah, Buchou said I can start tonight after school. But it really sucks, because reincarnated Devils like me have to start out by giving out pamphlets."

"Heh, I can understand that. You have to do the Familiar's job for a few days, but chin up. After that, you can start doing contracts like a normal devil."

"Yeah, and after that I can finally start working toward achieving a Harem! As a devil, I will finally be able to achieve my dream of becoming the Harem King!"

"Alright Casanova, chill out for a bit, before you make a scene." Issei was reminded that they were still in a class full of normal humans, so his face turned sheepish and sweatdropped.

"A-Ah yeah, you're right. I guess I got a little excited. But what about you Kurokawa? I remember Buchou saying you were also serving someone, even though you're not a devil."

"That's...that's a special case. You'll learn about it soon enough."

"Well, if you say so..."

And that, it was just small talk between the two, until the bell rang once again, signaling end of recess. And after that, the teacher walked back into the room and resumed class.

"Today was a lot of fun, Shi-chan! I enjoyed myself~"

"That's good to hear Jeanne. It was a little more rowdy a few days ago when I first came through that door, but thankfully, your introduction was more tame."

"Yeah, probably because you made almost every man in the classroom pee their pants in fear, so none of them dared to approach Jeanne-chan..."

Now, as the sun slowly began to set, Shin, Jeanne and Issei were making their way over to the ORC clubroom. Jeanne was wearing her usual happy-go-lucky expression, while Shin looked indifferent.

And he scoffed at Issei's retort.

"It's not my fault you all are balls of raging hormones. I'm simply doing my job and keeping Jeanne away from you perverts."

"Aww, is Shi-chan getting jealous again? You're showing such a cute side~"

Jeanne liked seeing Shin be so protective of her. Naturally, as Yasaka's palace was guarded pretty much all day, there were very few risks of any danger coming to them, so to see Shin acting so protective was a rare occurrence.

"I keep telling you, I'm not jealous. I'm just keeping you away from danger. You never know with perverts." he said that, throwing a quick glanced at Issei.

The brunette saw this, and clenched his fist.

"Hey, don't throw such insults at me! I would never think of hurting a beautiful woman, especially Jeanne-chan!"

"I never said I meant you specifically, so I don't know what you are getting so worked up about Hyoudou" Shin responded with an innocent whistle, as if he really didn't know why Issei was angry.

"Grr.." obviously, that only made Issei grit his teeth harder, whereas Jeanne giggled at the two.

After that, they kept walking for a short while, until they reached the clearing where the old house building resided.

They all went inside and walked down the silent and dimly lit hallways. However, as they came up to the second floor, Shin noticed something curious as the passed by it, while the other two seemingly missed it.

It was a wooden door, that had a few yellow bands strapped across it, with the words 'Keep Out' written on it. Shin found it curious, but he realized what it was for, as he sensed a faint presence inside the room.

' _So someone is sealed in there? That's weird...'_ he though, as he passed by the room and followed Jeanne and Issei up the stairs and finally, inside the clubroom.

"Hey everyone~ Guess who's back!"

As soon as the three stepped through the door, Jeanne raised her hand and waved it around, greeting the occupants happily.

Those occupants being Rias, Akeno, Yuuto and Koneko. Bar Koneko, everyone showed a slight smile at the blonde, and greeted her as well.

"Ara ara. Jeanne-chan is still as energetic as always~"

"Yes that does seem to be the case. Good of you to join us, Jeanne-chan."

"Jeanne-senpai seems, very happy."

Yuuto was the last one to greet and while Shin still expected him to harbor some form of hostility toward him and Jeanne, he was truly surprised when the blonde showed a normal smile and bowed his head.

"I hope you had a nice first day at the academy, Jeanne-san."

Jeanne smiled brightly and nodded her head.

"That I did, Yuuto-kun~ Everyone was really friendly to me~"

"Yeah, cuz Kurokawa scared most of them shitless." Issei's retort caused Shin's eyebrow to twitch, while the devils chuckled slightly.

"Ara, did Shin-kun scare all the boys away? My, how protective~"

Naturally, Akeno swiftly made her way over and draped her arms over Shin's shoulders as she said that. She then glanced at the boy with a certain look in her eyes.

"If someone tried to hit on me, would you scare them away as well?"

"That depends, really. Do you **want** me to scare them away?"

"Hmm, what a tough spot you've put me in. I certainly do not mind the attention, but maybe, just maybe, I should keep you around me so no one can try anything. Would you like to have me all to yourself, Shin-kun~?"

"I'll have to think about it. Trying to scare all those men away will certainly be a hassle."

"Oh my~"

Everyone watched this exchange with different reactions.

Issei, of course, had jealousy blazing within his eyes. He was jealous at how nonchalant Shin could talk to one of the Great Onee-samas about such things. First all the girls in class and now even Akeno seemed attracted to him. The boy was seeing his dream being lived out right in front of him and was jealous of the fact.

Koneko and Yuuto didn't seem all that bothered by the way Shin and Akeno interacted with one another. They already knew that Akeno was intrigued by the boy, as well as how she like to tease those she found interesting, so they expected such exchanges. However, they had known Akeno for quite a while and were getting a small suspicion that she may felt a little different toward Shin.

And Jeanne, along with Rias, were quite amused by the display. Truly, they found it quite cute.

Well, while Rias was simply happy her Queen found someone that interested her, Jeanne was more happy because she already knew that Akeno would end up in Shin's harem, due to the vision she had the night before.

"Hehe, Akeno-chan is the first one on the list~" the blonde mumbled to herself, before she took out a little notebook with the words 'Shi-chan's Harem' written on the front.

She then proceeded to take out a pen, and scribble Akeno's name unto a page where a chart with two columns was drawn. One column read 'Definite' and the other one read 'Maybe'. And then, Akeno's name was written under Jeanne and Yasaka's name on the 'Definite' column.

As she did that, Rias cleared her throat and set her sights on Issei.

"Ise. Come here real quick."

The brunette nodded his head and walked forward, seeing Rias pull out a little device, along with a stack of magic leaflets. She then smiled.

"This device was made to help new devils on their task to deliver leaflets. The red dots represent humans with strong greed. Such human is what we devils look for, as they are able to summon us to make contracts. Ise. Your job for the rest of the week, is to deliver these leaflets to greedy humans, so they may summon us in the future. With some luck, you may even end up being summoned by a human you gave such leaflets to."

Issei took the device in her hand and was surprised to see the amount of red dots that were blinking on the screen. There were at least a dozen greedy humans just in the general vicinity. He could only guess how many others there were in the whole town.

"But wait, how am I going to deliver all these pamphlets? Can I like, teleport to all the addresses or something?"

Issei asked an important question, which Rias was more than happy to answer.

"No. Ise, you will have to ride your bike there~"

.

.

.

"..Eh?"

"Ah, your tea really is delicious Akeno-chan~ One of the best I've drank so far~"

"Ara ara. You're making me blush Jeanne-chan. It's nothing special, really~"

Sitting on the couch, was Jeanne and Shin, who were currently enjoying Akeno's delicious tea.

Issei had to leave the clubroom to go and get his bike, so he can start distributing the leaflets, and Koneko was already off on one of her contracts. Everyone else, remained within the clubroom, at least until some other contracts appeared for Yuuto or Akeno.

But until then, Rias' Queen had made tea for everyone and placed it on the glass table between the two couches. Rias was usually sat at he desk, but since today seemed to be a quiet night, she decided to join everyone else on the couches and have a normal talk with them.

"So, Kurokawa-kun, how was your little welcoming party? I didn't have a chance to talk to anyone about it, so I was curious. Also, is it fine if I call you Shin-kun?"

Rias spoke, looking at Shin with curiosity. The boy took a sip from his tea and glanced up and the ceiling.

"We don't know each other all that well, but sure, I guess. I call your Rias, so when I think about it, it's only fair you get to call me by my first name as well."

"As for the party? It was...pretty boring. A bunch of old geezers that I really couldn't care all that much about and a really stagnant atmosphere. Truly, if it wasn't for your cousin being present and challenging me to a sparring session, I would've probably died of boredom."

Everyone present perked up at that, while Rias looked the most surprised for a second, before chuckling slightly.

"So Sairaorg did? Yes, that is definitely so like him. I hope he didn't go overboard."

"Oh, you should really worry about him and not me. He's the one that ran the risk of getting accidentally killed."

[-!] naturally, Rias and her servants eyes widened at what Shin said. Shin saw this and sighed softly.

"I already accidentally used it during the act, so it's pointless to keep it hidden" he said, as he raised his arm to eye level, steam beginning to roll off of it, to the surprise of the devils. "I'm certain you still remember that Stray Devil inside the abandoned warehouse, right?"

hearing that, it became clear what Shin hinted at.

"S-So you mean that-"

"You probably already suspected it Rias, so don't act surprised. But yeah-"

 ***crrackk***

"-that was me."

Shin's answer was accompanied by more steam rolling off his hand, as a black tribal tattoo-like marking appeared on his forearm, before it became encased in a layer of violet ice like it had during the battle against Sairaorg.

As he said, there was already a suspicion that Shin was the one who had killed off the stray, but it was still quite the shocking revelation, as that showed the devil once more that Shin was a lot stronger than they had anticipated.

And while his short demonstration yesterday showed that his was much more skilled at swordplay than Yuuto, knowing that had Devil Slayer magic at his disposal also showed that he would have minimal problems fighting against the rest of Rias' peerage, as they could hardly damage his ice **after** he had left it, let alone while he was still actively in control of it.

Silence befell the room, as Shin made his ice armor disappeared and continued drinking from his tea cup undisturbed.

"Geez, what's with this sudden silence? There's nothing to worry about you three. Shi-chan won't hurt you, so you can relax~ Well, as long as you don't stand in his way, that is~"

"As someone learned the hard way yesterday" Shin continued after Jeanne, throwing a not-so-subtle glance at Yuuto, who was standing right across from him.

Said boy turned slightly sheepish, before ultimately bowing his head.

"You're right, Kurokawa-san. I...I must apologize for my rash behavior. It's true, I still despise Excalibur to this day...and I can't simply let go of it until I've had my vengeance, but it was wrong to try to take my anger out on you, the wielder of a fragment. As you said, there is only one person I should be focusing my hatred on, and that is not you. Jeanne-san has helped me realize as much."

"No worries Yuuto-chan~ As I've said, you two are quite similar in some aspect, so I don't wish to see you as enemies~"

"You're right Jeanne-san. So I must ask that you pardon my actions yesterday, Kurokawa-san."

Shin's expression didn't change much at hearing Yuuto's plea. However, he didn't seem to hold any resentment for what had happened in the first place, so Rias and Akeno assumed her had already forgiven him.

"For the record, I was never mad about what happened, so there is no need to apologize. Especially since I understand the reaction completely. I was also in your shoes once. Driven only by revenge."

This made Yuuto look surprised, along with his two fellow devils. However, Shin's expression suddenly turned serious.

"And because of it, listen to what I'm going to tell you. What happened, is the past. It's fine to carry it with you, but don't let it consume you. Do not let your desire for vengeance, for something that happened in the past, consume your present. Remember those words Yuuto. Because what happened in the past, can't be changed. But what you do in the present can."

"Your friends, Yuuto. Do not let your vengeance drive you away from them."

"..." Yuuto was silent. Shin's words resonated with him, because it was true. While he couldn't bring his old friends back, his current friends had always been there for him. They were everything he had now.

Rias especially, as she was the one he owed his new life to. She was the very reason Yuuto even got the chance for vengeance in the first place.

' _Rias...she sacrificed one of her precious Pieces to revive me. My vengeance, is only possible because of her. But...to turn my back on her, to achieve it? Would I really be capable of such a thing?'_

While Yuuto was busy with his own minds, Rias couldn't help but raise and eyebrow at what Shin had said.

"What you said just now...it sounds like you're very familiar with it, Shin-kun."

Shin didn't respond, instead opting to take another sip of his tea. However, it was clear in his eyes that he knew what he was talking about. Rias saw this and decided it was enough of an answer.

It was silent for a while after that, until a piece of paper on Rias' desk started glowing, alerting the redhead.

"Another contract it seems." she stood up and walked over, glancing at it shortly before looking up at her night. "Yuuto, this one is for you. It's one of your regulars."

"I see. Very well then, Buchou. I shall be on my way."

With a short bow directed at Shin and Jeanne, Yuuto stood up and went to the center of the room where a big magic circle was drawn. The magic circle then activated, and with it, Yuuto was gone.

After Yuuto left, the only devils left in the room were Rias and Akeno, who by now had made herself comfortable on Shin's lap. Something Shin raised a curious eyebrow at.

"Is it comfortable, Akeno-san?"

"Oh, very much so, Shin-kun~ You're soft like a pillow~"

"Mouu, Shi-chan! Why does Akeno-chan get to sit on your lap while I can't?!" Jeanne was obviously upset that even Akeno could sit on his lap, but she couldn't.

"Stop whining Jeanne. This was your idea wasn't it? You yourself said Akeno was part of it."

"Hmm? Part of what, exactly?" Akeno was curious, so Jeanne forgot about not being able to sit on Shin's lap and produced her 'Shi-chan's Harem' notebook and presented it to Akeno, who looked at it surprised.

Even Rias got curious, so she adjusted her body slightly to get a glimpse of what was written inside. But she was surprised to see Grayfia's name written in it, and could only wonder as to what that was about, but didn't question it just yet.

"Look, Akeno-chan! Shi-chan's list of harem members!" the blonde explained, as Akeno threw a curious glance through the notebook.

"Ara ara. Shin-kun, you're quite the player, with how how many names are written in here. Does that mean you were planning on seducing me as well~?"

"No, that notebook is Jeanne's toy. I have nothing to do with it."

"How curious. Jeanne-chan, you want to form a harem for Shin-kun?"

The blonde beauty nodded her head happily.

"Yup yup! Even though he tries to look all though, Shi-chan is really quite lonely inside. Which is why it's my mission to fill in that loneliness by hooking him up with a bunch of hot girls~"

A vein appeared on Shin's forehead, after he heard what Jeanne said.

"Dammit Jeanne, what did I say about blurting things out?! For fucks sake!"

"Hmm, so you're lonely Shin-kun? I can't have my Kouhai be lonely. I would be a bad Senpai if I let that happen~"

Jeanne managed to get a cop out this time, being spared another one of Shin's lectures, courtesy of Akeno.

The japanese beauty positioned herself in such a way that she was straddling Shin, and cupped his face gently with her hands.

"No, I will not allow you to be lonely Shin-kun. Yes, I will make sure to spoil you Shin-kun~" she cooed, as Shin looked at her with a strange expression.

"Thanks for the offer, but I already have those flanks covered, Akeno-san. Truly, you don't have to do that."

"Mmh, so someone is already spoiling you? Mouu, that's upsetting. But it's fine. I can spoil you on the side. It's kind of like an affair, right? That sounds interesting~"

"Uhh, I don't think the term really fits for the whole situation, but whatever makes you happy, I guess?"

Shin didn't know how to respond, but Akeno really seemed to consider the idea, so he simply let the girl to her own devices, for now.

"Hehe, Shi-chan is acting fast~ Akeno-chan is definitely going to be a part of the harem~ My vision is coming true! It's true Shi-chan!"

"Vision, huh?" So Jeanne-chan got a vision that I was a part of Shin-kun's harem? My, what a notion. But the thought of it...I can't say I would mind, being part of such a thing."

"Please don't feed into Jeanne's fantasies, Akeno-san..."

"But Shin-kun, Jeanne-chan's fantasies are really interesting. I quite like the idea, you know? And I'm starting to feel that something else, is liking the idea too~"

As she said that, Akeno started to subtly move her hips and slowly grind against Shin, making a blush light up on his face, as he could feel blood rushing to a forbidden part of his body.

Rias, watched everything from the side with an amused expression. She figured Akeno would try to tease Shin to the best of her abilities, and while this particular thing was quite surprising to the red head, she had to admit that it was entertaining regardless.

 ***open***

As that was happening, the door to the clubroom was opened, with Issei stepping through it.

"I've finished handing out the leaflet's Buchou-" and then, he saw the position Shin and Akeno were in, the two teen looking quite surprised as well.

"Ara ara. Seems like we've been caught by Ise-kun. And we were just getting to the good parts. Oh well, I guess we'll have to continue this another time, okay Shin-kun?"

Akeno said that while giggling, before getting off of Shin's body and returned to her spot next to Rias on the opposite couch.

"Aww, I really wanted to see where this was getting. Oh well, looks like I'll have to be careful for when the next time happens~"

Jeanne seemed to be the only one disappointed things didn't go any further. Though, she was the one who wanted Shin to form a harem, so it was to be expected that she wanted to see the deed happen. However, she would have to wait for a while longer, until she could witness such a thing take place between Shin and Akeno.

Though one things was certain for her. Akeno, was all but confirmed to be a part of Shin's harem now.

"..." as for Issei, he simply stood at the door, with his hair shadowing his eyes.

 ***drip* *drip***

However, tears started falling from Issei's cheeks unto the floor, making everyone open their eyes in surprise.

"To be able to do such a thing..." Issei mumbled with a slight sob. And the he raised his face up, which showed what looked like tears of jealousy, causing a sweatdrop to appear in the room.

"What a man! Dammit! Damn you Kurokawa! How do you do it?! How do you make girls want to have sex with youuu! I want to be the harem king and have sex with girls every day and yet you are living out my dream without even trying! Damn you Kurokawaaa!"

The brunette then fell to his knees and started crying his eyes out.

"Arara. It seems Ise-kun has become emotional. What do we do Buchou?"

"Hmm, I don't know Akeno. This...this seems like a matter between men. Shin-kun, that means it's your job to fix it~"

"..."

 ***SLAP***

And then, the sound of Shin face-palming hard was heard throughout the old school building, accompanied by Issei's cries who were carried over into the night.

Now, a few days had passed since that incident.

Over those few days, Jeanne and Shin had gotten a little more used to school life, with the blonde officially becoming one of Kuoh's Great Beauties, along with garnering a great number of fans, both female and male, though the latter was quickly trimmed down courtesy of Shin and his demon-like aura whenever it came to Jeanne.

In those few days, Issei had also become a little more accustomed to being a devil and also dutifully did his job of passing out Rias' leaflets, all in order to achieve his dream of becoming the Harem King.

Speaking of, Issei never did get to hear the secret to being so popular with the girls from Shin, mostly because he himself did not know that. Well, in reality, he did know why females were attracted to it, and he was also aware that Issei also had that something within him. However, since it hadn't awakened it yet, Shin decided to keep to himself for the moment.

Yuuto and Shin also seemed to get on better terms than before, with the blonde even bringing up his previous invitation to spar. Shin thought about it and accepted, however they still didn't know when exactly they should do it, as Yuuto was usually busy with contracts and such, while Shin had his own mission he really needed to start on.

But now, wasn't one of those time. For now, he found himself inside the ORC clubroom.

"Ise, you'll be happy to know that your days of passing flyers are officially over~ Now, you can start making your own contracts. Aren't you happy?" Rias showed a smile when she said this, something that made Issei happy as well, as now he could officially start making his way up the ranks.

"And also, Shin-kun", she said, making Shin glance at her with a raised eyebrow. "Serafall-sama has asked that you go with Ise on his first contract. Even though you're not officially a devil, she said it wouldn't hurt to see first-hand what us devil do."

"So Serafall said that, huh? Well, I guess it really wouldn't hurt to see what these contract consist of. Alright fine, I'll go with Hyoudou. Should prove interesting."

Issei was confused as to who this 'Serafall' was, however he didn't question it as he was more excited to finally form a contract.

"Then it's settled. Ise, you and Shin-kun will take up one of Koneko's contracts for the night. She has been double-booked, and doing two contracts at once is hard to do."

"Please, help me out Senpais."

Koneko bowed her head apologetically at the two teens.

Shin gave an inaudible sigh and stood up from his spot on the couch next to Shin and walked over to the middle of the room, where he saw the others teleport from.

"Ise, come over here for a second." Issei was called by Rias, and walked forward, where she took his hand and began drawing something in the palm of his hand.

"You are part of my peerage, so you need to have the crest of Gremory as well. That's what the magic circle will react too. Of course, since Shin-kun isn't a devil, Akeno has made some adjustments to let him teleport too, however the circle will only react to your crest."

"A-Ah. I see."

Issei nodded his head, as Rias drawing the Gremory crest on his hand.

"The teleportation circle is ready, Buchou." Akeno was also finished with adjusting the teleportation circle, so Rias nodded her head.

"Alright, then. Ise, Shin-kun. Please step into the magic circle."

The two did as they were told, and stepped in the middle of the room, standing next to one another.

 ***glow***

And then, the circle under their feet began glowing brightly.

"It's time. The circle is reacting to the client's greed, and your crest Ise. Go, both of you. And have fun~"

"Hell yeah! I'll make you proud Buchou!"

Issei showed a thumbs up.

"Have fun Shi-chan~ And remember, don't fight with Ise-chan! Be professional!"

Jeanne also showed her support for Shin, who rolled his eyes but gave a short nod regardless.

And then, the teleportation circle glowed the brightest, as the two boys closed their eyes and prepared to be teleported.

.

.

.

The two waited for a moment, before they opened their eyes.

[..Eh?]

However, they weren't met with the client's face. Or even a different room, for that matter. No, they were still in the clubroom.

"Oh, **please** tell me this is what I think it is~" Shin had to put a hand in front of his mouth, to prevent himself from laughing out loud.

Issei on the other hand, was confused. He didn't understand why the circle didn't work. Naturally, he looked at his King for confirmation, who wore a complicated expression, along with the rest of the Devils present.

"Ara ara. This is most troublesome."

"I agree with Akeno-san. What are we going to do Buchou?"

"Ise-senpai...Useless senpai."

Issei's fellow devils expressed their concern, with Koneko blatantly throwing an insult at Issei, who looked most affected by it.

"H-Huh? What happened? Buchou, did something go wrong?"

"Ise..."

Rias placed a hand to her forehead, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Ise, that magic circle is a devil's main way to getting to our clients. It's made to be accessible to any devil, no matter how new. It requires minimal demonic energy. Even children can use the magic circle. Ise. Your demonic energy is lower than even a child."

"E-Eeeeeeh?! Are you serious?!"

"Yes. This is something that has never happened before, so it's the only explanation."

" **BWAHAHAHAHA"**

As soon as Rias said that, Shin couldn't keep it in anymore, and began howling with laughter, causing Issei to look at him with fury in his eyes.

"Oi! Don't laugh Kurokawa!"

"AAHAHAHAA, YOU'RE EVEN WEAKER THAN A CHILD! OH THIS IS PRECIOUS, AAHAHAHAA!"

Issei tried to stop Shin form laughing, however it proved future as the boy just kept laughing like a madman.

"Ise, even though this has never happened before, a contract is a contract. We can't keep the client waiting. It's unorthodox, but we have no choice. You'll have to ride your bike to the clients house."

And with that, Issei's face dropped while Shin's laughter simply intensified.

"Honestly, to not even be able to use a magic circle...Hyoudou, you have got to be the most pathetic devil in existence. Honestly."

"Oh, shut up Kurokawa! It's not like I asked to be this weak! Seriously, how embarrassing do you think this is for me?! Who has heard of a devil arriving for a contract on a bicycle?!"

"Well, you're the first one, so you can be proud of something."

After 20 minutes of riding on Issei's bicycle, the two teens had finally made it to the client's house, which was an apartment complex. Of course, the fact was that Issei had kept the client waiting for 20 minutes, which was not a good first step to take.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go already."

Issei said that and the two walked toward the door, where Issei knocked a few times.

"H-Hello? I'm a devil from the Gremory household! You were the one who requested a contract, right?"

"You're a master at being tactful, Hyoudou."

"Shut up Kurokawa!"

Issei whispered to his companion, before the voice of a man was heard from the other side of the door.

"Who's there?!"

Both Shin and Issei were taken by the response of the man.

"Uhh, I'm a Devil. A devil from the Gremory household. You called to make a contract, so I'm here."

"Don't lie! No devil knocks on doors! They come out of this leaflet I have! That's how it has always happened! Besides, I called for Koneko-chan!

"He's got a point Hyoudou."

"Grr, I know he has a point! Just shut up!"

"Who the hell do you keep talking to?!"

The man yelled out confused, having heard Issei seemingly argue with someone.

"Ah, I was asked to take this guy with me. He's just here to observe how devils work!"

"A bystander? Now that's really just as ridiculous as devils knocking on doors! Now go away, pervert!"

"Hey, I'm not a pervert! And I'm sorry for being so weak I can't even use the magic circle, okay?! I wanted to be able to teleport as well! What kind of loner would peddle their bike in the middle of the night, to go knocking on stranger's doors while pretending to be a devil?!"

"Why are **you** getting pissed now, super pervert?!"

"What?! Stop calling me that! I'm a devil, so fuck you!"

 ***open***

"Just go home!" the client shouted, opening the door and peaking his head through.

The skinny man looked angry at first, however his expression changed when he saw that Issei's face was leaking tears, while Shin was just shaking his head disappointed.

"Are you crying?" the man asked, with Issei only now noticing the tears running down his cheeks. "Look like you really are sad you can't teleport, huh?"

"I guess so."

The man was silent for a bit, before opening the door a little wider and gesturing for the two to enter the apartment.

Inside, the man named Morisawa made them tea, as the two took a seat inside the tidy room.

From there, Issei explained how Koneko was double-booked that night, and that he had to take over one of her contracts.

Morisawa was saddened by the fact that his regular devil contractor wasn't available, however he made peace with it and asked Issei if he could grant his wish instead. Of course, Issei could technically do that, if it wasn't for the device Rias had given him, which was used to determine what price each wish was worth, letting Morisawa know that both of his wishes would cost him him life. Worst of it, he would die before he could even touch what he wished for.

The man was understandably bummed, of course, but things looked up for Issei, when the boy found out that Morisawa was also quite the anime fan like himself.

And best of it all, he was an avid fan of the Dragonball series. And that fired Issei up.

"Kamehameha!"

 ***glow***

Issei called the name of the famous attack, before his arm glowed and his Sacred Gear appeared on his hand.

After he had done that, tears began flowing out of Morisawa's eyes, who swiftly grabbed Volume 1 of Dragon Ball and showed it to Issei.

"Let's talk about it!"

"Yes, let's talk!"

Both men had tears in their eyes as they said that. And with it, a long night began for poor Shin, who watched everything from the side, starting to regret having tagged along with Issei.

The next day, everyone met up in the clubroom once again.

However, when Shin, Jeanne and Issei entered the ORC clubroom, they were met by Rias' angry expression. Well, rather, Issei was the only one she looked at with that expression.

As it turns out, Issei's contract became invalid, because he and Morisawa battle-played until the morning.

"My. This sort of thing had never happened before."

Yuuto said that with a bitter smile, while Rias kept her intense gaze on Issei. She then spoke with a deep and scary tone.

"Ise."

"Y-Yes!"

"You talked with the client about manga all night long. And what happened after that? What happened to the contract?"

"It...It became invalid because we battle-played Dragon Ball all night..."

"..."

Rias was silent, bar the sigh she gave. She then grabbed a leaflet that was on her desk and spoke again.

"After a contract, we ask the client to fill out a questionnaire on these leaflets. 'How was the contract with a devil?'. That's what we ask them. Ise. This is the first time I've received such feed back."

She then proceeded to read what was on the leaflet.

"...[It was fun. It was my first time having such a good time. I would like to meet with Ise-kun again. I hope I can make a good contract with him next time.]...This is what the client said about you."

Issei was silent. His chest felt hot.

' _Morisawa-san...Even though I couldn't do anything, you still did such a thing for me...'_

"I'm sorry if I scared you before. I just didn't know how to react to this."

"Heh. Did you hear that? Even though you didn't do anything, you managed to please the client. Good job Hyoudou."

Shin gave his own kind of praise, giving a little mock clap. He then grabbed his cup of tea and took a sip, smiling in content.

Akeno, who was to the left of Shin released her usual 'Ufufu' laugh, while Jeanne, who was to the boy's right gave the brunette a thumbs up.

"Shin-kun is right, Ise. To us devils, forming contracts is a very important thing. We grant a clients wish and then we receive compensation for it. That's how it works. But with this...even though you failed as a devil, you still satisfied the client."

Rias wore a complicated expression, but it soon lifted into a smile.

"You know, this is interesting. Ise, there aren't any devils like you. You may very well end up being the Number 1 Devil for unexpected things. However, remember the basics next time alright? You make a contract, grant the clients wish and gain compensation for it."

"Right! I won't let you down next time, Buchou!"

Issei declared that strongly.

"Ufufu, Ise-kun is determined again~"

"Indeed, Vice-President. Even though he failed the first time, he's willing to better himself."

"At least, he's trying to be a better devil. Even though, I wouldn't mind if he wanted to be a, better person as well. Lecherous pervert."

"Guh...Your words hurt me, Koneko-chan..."

"The truth hurts."

 ***peng***

Hearing Koneko say that in a blank tone, Issei felt a figurative arrow pierce his heart, as he fell to his knees with tears leaking from his eyes.

"Aww, don't worry Ise-chan! Even if you're a pervert, I can still feel you have a pure heart! There's still chances for you to find a lover~"

"J-Jeanne-chan! Thank you for your kind words! You're truly a blessing!"

Issei's tears turned to tears of happiness once he heard Jeanne's encouraging words.

Shin saw this and released a short chuckle, before returning to his delicious tea.

After all that was done, Issei had received another contract, so he took off on his bike so he wouldn't keep the client waiting like last time. Shin opted to stay behind this time, having a certain sense of dread telling him that this contract wouldn't be any better than the last one.

"Ise-chan is really trying his best, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but for all the wrong reasons. Harem King...the dream of a true pervert."

Later that night, after Shin and Jeanne were back home, the ate dinner, took a shower and were now both laying in bed.

Shin's bed, to be specific. Of course, all Jeanne's idea.

In the first few days after she arrived, she was content sleeping in her own bed. However, two days ago, she started wandering into Shin's bed at night, saying she was more comfortable sleeping on Shin, like the old times.

"By the way Shi-chan, I found a few photos on your desk the other day. Who are those four?"

"Oh yeah, that." Shin said that as if he had just remembered that he had a mission all this time.

"I got a job last week. Those four are Fallen Angels that went rogue. My job is to bring them back, dead or alive/ whole team or missing a few."

"Aza-chan gave you a job again? Doesn't he already owe you two payments?"

"He does, however this also works in my favor. That means I can ask for other things instead of simply money, for payment."

"What are you thinking of Shi-chan?"

"Well, when was the last time we went to the beach?"

"WE'RE GOING TO THE BEACH?!"

Hearing the word 'beach', was enough to make Jeanne perk up with stars shimmering inside her eyes.

"I never said it was a sure thing, so please calm down. I simply asked when we went to the beach last."

"Moouu..." Jeanne deflated quite a bit after Shin said that, letting her head fall back on his chest while her face showed a pout.

"Fufu, don't show such a face Jeanne. Alright, fine. Once the job is done, I promise you I'll take you to the beach. Does that sound nice?"

"Yes, that's sound awesome!"

"That's the spirit. Now come on. We still have school tomorrow, so let's hit the hay."

"Okay~"

And with that, Jeanne snuggled closer to Shin, her head resting on his chest with her arm placed close to her face, while Shin's own arm was wrapped around the girl's frame, both closing their eyes with peaceful expressions on their faces.

.

.

.

"...Shi-chan."

"Hm?"

"I feel something crawling between my legs."

"The fuck?"

Hearing Jeanne's odd statement, Shin's eyes fluttered open immediately and raised his body.

He threw the coves off and, to his surprise, he saw Kurome was trying to crawl her way up Jeanne's body. Well, she suddenly stopped upon being discovered, and froze. Her head tilted upwards, and Shin could swear the cat's face turned sheepish.

"Oh, Kurome-chan? Why are you trying to sneak your way here, hmm?"

"N-Nyaah..."

"Oh, you were cold? Well, I guess it can't be helped then. Come here you sweet little thing~"

Shin, was amazed that Jeanne seemingly understood what Kurome had said.

' _Then again, she does seemingly have that kind of ability. With two pets, I could prove quite useful.'_

The blonde beauty then grabbed the small feline and placed her on Shin's big pillow, right between herself and where Shin was. Jeanne then patted the bed and looked at Shin with her normal smile.

"C'mon Shi-chan. Time for bed~"

"..."

Shin simply released a sigh and leaned his body back on the pillow, where he almost immediately felt Kurome's paws land on his face.

Now, that would've been fine and dandy, if the cat hadn't decided to stretch out his claws in that very moment, scratching Shin's face lightly, causing his eye to twitch.

"Nyaah~"

However, he let it go just this time as cat will always be cats.

And then, he closed his eyes once more, letting sleep truly overtake him this time.

The next day rolled around without further incident, with the two teens peacefully asleep as when the rays of sun entered Shin's bedroom.

 ***boop***

However, instead of feeling the rays of sun hit his face, Shin felt Kurome's soft paw push against his cheek, stirring him awake.

Opening his eyes, he glanced to his side, where he saw Kurome sprawled across both himself and Jeanne. The cats upper body was on Jeanne's face, and her legs were pressing up against Shin's cheek.

With a sigh, Shin got Kurome's feet off his face and raised his body, shaking his head at the cat's sleeping posture.

"Alright, it time to wake up Jeanne. We need to get ready for school."

"Mmhh.."

The midnight haired boy gently shook the blonde awake, who released a slight groan as she opened her eyes.

"...Why is Kurome-chan sleeping on my face?"

"No idea. But she's a cat, cat do weird things for no apparent reason.

"Yeah you're right."

Saying that, Jeanne gently picked the cat off her face and placed her on the pillow, where she snuggled into right off the bat. The blonde then stretched her body a bit, before bouncing off the bed and bolting out of the room with incredible energy.

"I'm taking a shower first~"

"..."

Shin was left staring at the open door blankly, still amazed at how Jeanne could literally wake up with boundless energy.

Nevertheless, he also stood up and left room, heading down toward the kitchen where he wanted to whip up a quick breakfast for the two before they had to leave for school.

A while later, after Jeanne had finished taking a shower and freshening up, Shin entered the bathroom to get himself freshened up as well, before they both met back up in the kitchen where they ate breakfast, got ready and then left for school.

* * *

On their way to school, there was idle chat between the two, before they ended up passing by something that made them pause for a bit.

"Is that...Isn't that Ise-chan?"

"Yeah, that's definitely Hyoudou. He's the only one with such a weak energy signature."

"Don't be rude Shi-chan. It wasn't Ise-chan's choice to be reincarnated so weak."

"Maybe so..."

"Want to go get him so we can walk together?"

Jeanne asked that, however Shin's eyes narrowed slightly when he glanced down the street they felt Issei was on.

"...You go on ahead Jeanne. You had to meet up with your friends after all, right?"

"Oh yeah! I said I'd meet Katase-chan and Murayama-chan early to give them some tips for their upcoming Kendo match! Thanks for reminding me Shi-chan~ See you at school~"

 ***whooshh***

As soon as she finished saying that, the girl bolted down the street opposite of the one Issei was on, leaving Shin all alone at the crossroad.

' _There's someone else with Hyoudou. That energy signature...where have I felt it before?'_

Thinking that, he began heading in Issei's direction, soon seeing the boy come into view.

He called out Issei's name, getting the boy's attention. And as he did, a veil was carried by the wind into his face. Catching the piece of cloth, he glanced at it confused, before looking back at Issei.

However as he did, Shin's eyes opened wide in shock, along with the person standing behind the brunette.

 **A few moments prior, with Issei**

Issei was on his way to school as usual, his mind focusing on his terrible encounter with his last contractor. A bodybuilder that believed he was a Magical Girl named Mil-tan.

"Hawaau!"

However, he was snapped out of his thinking when he heard the voice of a young woman behind him, followed by something hitting the ground.

He turned to look around, only to open his eyes wide in surprise.

On the ground, with her arms spread wide and face planted firmly in the ground, was what Issei assumed was a Sister.

"O-Oh! A-Are you okay?"

Although he sweatdropped at the Sister's clumsy and comical way of falling down, his hidden instincts of a gentleman kicked in, and he checked to see if the young woman was fine, extending his hand toward her.

"Oww...why do I keep tripping on everything?" the young girl mumbled, before seeing Issei's extended hand. "Oh! I'm sorry. Thank you very much~."

The girl then took Issei's hand and the boy helped her to his feet. Once she was back up, she dusted herself off, before turning to look back at Issei with a smile.

"Hey, Hyoudou!"

 ***whoosh***

And at the same time she did, Issei heard the familiar voice of Shin, followed by a gust of wind which just so happened to cause the Sister's veil to fly off her face, revealing the beautiful blonde hair underneath.

The two followed the veil as it flew off behind Issei, the two looking back to see Shin catch it in his hand, before looking at it with confused.

He studied the piece of cloth as he walked over to the two, and as he was about to question it, he raised his face, only for his and the Sister's eyes to meet, and consequently open wide.

"Ah...That face...I-I'm not seeing things am I? Is...Is that really you?"

The Sister spoke with a timid voice, her face displaying quite the amount of shock.

And Shin wasn't fairing any better, as through his shock, he could only utter one word, his eyes seemingly glued to the Sister's form.

.

.

.

"...Asia?"

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **So, Jeanne and Shin's relationship has quite the dynamic, huh? It seems those two go way back, and have been through quite the amount of stuff already. Such as Shin apparently saving Jeanne's life in the past! Hmm, wonder how that came about...**

 **And Jeanne wants Shin to form a harem! A thing that came completely out of the left field for Shin, but Jeanne has her reasons.**

 **And she even brought up a few people from Shin's past, as well as hinting some people he'll meet in the future. Jeanne's vision, is certainly a most interesting things, isn't it?**

 **But who was that figure that showed up in the dead of night? ...Really, it's not even a mystery at this point, is it? You can't really keep that character a secret anymore~ It's obvious when she pops up, usually.**

 **And what was that nightmare Shin experienced? Most imprtantly, just who is this 'Seilah'? Hopefully, this story will go long enough for that to be revealed, as she won't appear until the battle in Heaven- ..oops. I said too much~**

 **But moving on, Shin got a glimpse as to what a devil contract is like. However, it seems he may have to tag along with someone else the next time. I wonder what some of Koneko's *other* contracts are like….**

 **Fortunately, Shin's instinct save him from being at the mercy of Mil-tan, but who knows what he'll encounter the next time Serafall sends him on a 'job-shadowing' mission.**

 **And what's this?! It looks like Shin and Asia already somehow know each other! Why is that I wonder…**

 **Well, that will be revealed in future chapters, along with the rest of Shin's past! So look forward to that~**

 **And now, we move on to the harems~**

 **Shin's Harem: Serafall, Yasaka, Jeanne, Akeno, Kuroka, Gabriel, Tiamat, Grayfia, Roygun, Rossweisse, Koneko, Irina, Sona, WIP.**

 **Issei's Harem. Rias, Asia, Xenovia, LeFay, WIP.**

 **As I said after the poll closed, there were only two girls who didn't get enough votes to get into Shin's harem, which I'm honestly a little happy for, as 1.) Issei's harem is looking about as dead as Shin's welcoming party the other chapter and 2.) Those two, LeFay at least, work a little better with Issei.**

 **And also, on that note.**

 **Once this chapter is up, there should be two new polls up on my page.**

 **One, is to decide the new batch of girls for the harems. Same rules as last time. Girls who get enough votes, through either Poll/Review/PM, end up in Shin's harem and those who don't will be put in Shin's. So if you want a girl to end up with Shin, it's a good idea to use the poll and if you want a girl to be with Issei, reviews or PMs should help out.**

 **Also, I was thinking of whether to make a poll for new harem members every time new girls have showed up, or are about to show up, or to simply keep making a new one with every new chapter until all the girls are sorted.**

 **Let me know in the reviews, or the PMs.**

 **And now, the second poll, is something I need to set straight early on.**

 **Namely, Millicas.**

 **The second poll is where you guys are going to choose what happens to Millicas in this story. The choices will be in the poll, so it's up to you to decide. Since Grayfia won herself a spot in the harem by an overwhelming margin, I need to see how I'm going to work around the big obstacle that it her son.**

 **So yeah. Those are the two polls you, the readers, need to participate in.**

 **Also, that little scene with Jeanne embarrassing Shin, is as close as this story will get to a Lemon, I'm afraid. I'm not saying there won't be any such scenes at all, I'm just not going to write them. I will however make it as clear as possible that sex happened. As for why I won't write lemons, two reasons really.**

 **One. I physically cannot write a lemon. I don't know why, but whenever I try to type a Lemon scene, one, I start grinning in a way that would put the Joker to shame, to the point it actually hurts, and then I just seize up. That's what I do when I'm too embarrassed. As I said, I don't know why that is. I can *draw* a sex scene just fine, but I guess when I have to type out every little detail of the act, it's just a moat I simply cannot cross.**

 **And two. What's the point? A Lemon scene is subjective to begin with. Everyone has their own fetish, which they want to see in a lemon. And I can only write out what *I* think of, not what someone else does. So with that, if I don't write out the lemon, but make it clear that sex did take place, every individual reader can think up their own lemon, where the characters do whatever kinky stuff the reader is into. Letting everyone imagine their own sex scene seems better than me writing out one that shuts down every other.**

 **So yeah. That's how it's going to be with lemons. I won't write them out, but will make it clear whenever sex did take place, so everyone can think of their own perfect fantasy lemon.**

 **And, I think that was it for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you thought of it in the reviews, participate in the polls and uhh, I'll talk to you next chapter~**

 **Seeya~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Shi the Sin of Sloth:** **Yes, Shin and Aeryon do seem to be much closer than initially thought, huh?**

 **That's an interesting theory. Maybe Tiamat is really hiding something about Aeryon. Though, it's not actually that Aeryon killed God of the Bible. I can tell you that didn't happen…or maybe it did- MWAHAHA!...who knows~**

 **Hehe, it would certainly be a riot if the Dragon Faction was a thing. With Ophis and Great Red both being Dragons, as well as the strongest beings in the world, every other Faction would potentially be wiped out.**

 **Hmm, the 'Three Brothers', huh? Interesting idea, though you're a little off~ Next chapter will shed some light on Ddraig and Albion's relation to Aeryon.**

 **And yes, you're right about that, Jeanne does seem like Momo, doesn't she? I didn't even realize that before.**

 **Cheeki of de breeki:** **First off, banging name. It's awesome. Second off, I hate cliffhangers too, but they're necessary for a story~**

 **Itsuki Minami1:** **Relax my friend. Trust me, I despise the whole cuckold and netorare stuff as well, which is why I always try to make the romance possible. Now, I admit fault, I forgot to mention this in the Author's note last chapter, but I can't help but point out that you had plenty of time to express your concerns over Grayfia being in the harem *after* the results of the poll were made public.**

 **And as it stands, I edited the Millicas poll to specifically say that Grayfia and Sirzechs aren't actually married in this story. Hence why I never made any mention or suggestion that it may be the case in previous chapters.**

 **I just never quite understood the romance in the canon story. I don't easily buy into the whole 'they were enemies but somehow fell in love and had a kid' shtick. Now to mention (spoilers if you aren't up to date with the LN) Sirzechs left her behind while he went to fight Trihexa with the rest of his peerage. And where does she go? Directly to Issei's team. Truly, I had a feeling that Ishibumi was going to give Grayfia to Issei at some point, so the whole marriage thing was going to become null regardless. Besides, she's a High-Class devil, but not a Maou. Maous are the only devils not allowed to have harems. Since Grayfia isn't actually a Maou, technically, she could have multiple lovers and all would be fine as long as she still came back to Sirzechs.**

 **And with these reviews out of the way, unto the chapter~**

* * *

Chapter 7: Fateful meeting

Silence.

With the wind gently blowing in the background, Shin and the blonde Sister just stared at each other in shock. Surprise, was clearly written on both of their faces.

Watching the two stare at each other in silence, Issei couldn't bring himself to say anything either. He simply alternated between looking at the Sister and looking back at Shin, waiting for one of them to say something, to break the silence.

"A-Asia...is that really you?"

Fortunately, Shin pulled through and with a slightly shaky voice, spoke up.

Hearing his voice, the Sister named Asia, opened her eyes wide as her face lit up with happiness.

"That voice...i-it's really you after all! I-I'm not imagining things at all, am I? It's really you, Shin-san?"

Asia spoke with a soft voice, as Shin's face changed ever-so-slightly, now looking like a boy who just got caught stealing by his mother. He then turned his head so Asia wouldn't see.

' _What the...Kurokawa looks...guilty?'_ Issei's own face displayed confusion.

Learning that Shin apparently knew this girl, confused him as the raven haired boy never mentioned Asia before. Granted, he may have not had an opportunity to do so, but his current expression led Issei to believe there may have been a different reason for it.

"To think we would meet again, here. All the way in Japan. It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it?"

Although Shin's face displayed guilt, Asia's face displayed nothing but happiness. And that confused Issei even further.

"Yeah...It's been a few years, huh?"

"Yes, it has. But, for some reason it feels like it was just yesterday" the blonde smiled, walking closer to Shin.

Getting to him, she looked up at the boy, only to become confused upon seeing his face.

She then reached up, and gently placed a hand on his face, before speaking in a worried tone.

"S-Shin-san? You're face...is something wrong?"

Shin didn't say anything at first and after a few moments, Asia's eyes opened wide.

"Oh...wait a second. Since you're here...Are you on a mission right now?" she asked, before her face perked up slightly and looked around. "Ah, yes, that must be it, right? You told me you are always sent to deal with outside threats, so that must be why you're here! Well, where are the other two? Oh, it's been so long. I can't wait to catch up-"

"Asia."

"U-Uh...?"

Shin grabbed Asia's face, and gently lowered it. He then looked right into her emerald green eyes.

"Asia, has no one told you?"

"Huh? Tell me what?"

Hearing Asia's clueless voice and matching expression, Shin's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

' _Does she really not know? But that's impossible. It's been years since I've left. They had more than enough time to brand me a heretic. Even Asia should've caught wind of it.'_

While Shin was pondering, Issei lightly coughed in his hand, to get their attention. Then he showed a sheepish face.

"Uh, not to interrupt this...reunion, but can you fill me in Kurokawa? You haven't mentioned this, beautiful young lady before."

"Oh yeah, guess introductions are in order."

Hearing what Issei said, Shin placed a hand on Asia's shoulder and turned her to face Issei. The midnight haired teen then raised his hand, as if presenting Issei to Asia.

"Hyoudou, this girl is Asia Argento, someone I met a long a time ago. Asia, this is a classmate of mine. Issei Hyoudou." Issei bowed his head following Shin's introduction, while the boy leaned into Asia's ear. "He's also a raging pervert, so watch out for him."

"-Gah?!" catching what Shin said, Issei did a double take before glaring at Shin and showing a clenched fist. "Dammit Kurokawa! Don't tell her that!"

"A pervert?" Asia's voice broke through, as the blonde looked at Issei with an innocent face. "But, Issei-san helped me. And just from looking at him I can tell he is a nice person. Someone like that can't possibly be a pervert, right?"

"Ah, that's such a nice thing to say! Thank you so much Argento-san! You must truly be an angel sent down from Heaven!"

 ***grasp***

Hearing Asia's words, Issei dropped to his knees and grasped Asia's hand with a few tears in his eyes. This caused Asia to develop a small blush, while Shin rolled his eyes.

"A devil thanking an angel, what world do we live in..." Shin mumbled under his breath, so no one could hear him.

He then watched as Asia placed a hand on Issei's head and patted it softly with a smile on her face.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Issei-san. In fact, I should be the one thanking you for helping me."

"Eh... yeah, that was nothing. I can't just ignore a beautiful Bishoujo in distress, now can I? Ahaha~"

"O-Oh my..." Asia blushed at hearing Issei's words.

Shin, who was watching everything unfold, raised an eyebrow at the scene, but decided not to question it. Instead, he wanted to know something else.

"Asia. What are you actually doing all the way in Japan?"

Hearing Shin's question, Asia's eyes opened up with surprise, as if she had just remembered something important.

"Oh, yes! I completely forgot!" she then quickly grabbed her suitcase and turned back to Shin. "You see, I was assigned to the church in this town. However, I got lost on the way and since I can't speak Japanese all that well, no one could give me directions."

' _Wait, what? She was assigned to the church? But, the only church in town is abandoned...'_ Shin was confused, as, as far as he was aware, the only church in town was abandoned a long time ago. He was told as much before moving in Kuoh.

"W-Well, if you're lost, then we'll help you!"

Curiously, it seemed Issei wasn't aware that the church was abandoned, even though he lived in the town for much longer than Shin. So he was more than ready to help out Asia.

"Y-You'll do that?" Asia was taken by surprise by Issei's offer, but she certainly didn't mind.

"Yeah, I think I know where the church is and I'd be more than willing to take you there!"

"Ah, then t-thank you very much! Truly, this must be an act of God!"

Asia bowed her head deeply, to express her gratitude toward Issei.

 ***grab***

However, as she did that, Shin quickly grabbed Issei's shoulder and dragged him a little distance away, so Asia couldn't hear them talking.

"Oi, what're you doing, idiot?"

"I-Idiot? The hell man!? What would you have me do, just leave her to wander around the town?! I thought you were her friend, what gives?!"

" **You** are a devil, dumbass!" Shin whispered-yelled, causing realization to wash over Issei's face, as a sweatdrop appeared on his cheek. "Yeah, good morning, good to see you're finally back to you senses. Look, I don't know about that church, but if there's some priest still left there, you can be certain you'll cause trouble simply by stepping on the church grounds, understand?"

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. I take it Rias didn't explain this to you, and honestly I can't be bothered to explain it all to you right now, but get the gist of it. Devils should generally stay away from churches."

Hearing Shin's warning, got Issei to think about the current situation. On one hand, he knew that as a devil, he would get in trouble if he associated with people from the church. Rias did tell him as much and he knew she'd reprimand him if he did go through with it. But on the other hand, he wasn't an asshole. So he didn't want to leave Asia on her own.

"W-Well, what else am I supposed to do?!"

Issei whisper-yelled back at Shin, who released a sigh.

"Look. Just this once, feel free to help her out. I'll come with you, to make sure nothing happens, alright? But in the future, remember your position. I won't always be there to make sure you're safe. You're now part of Rias' peerage, so your actions reflect upon her as well."

With that, Shin gave Issei a small pat on the back and turned back to face Asia, who was looking at the two curiously.

"I-Is everything alright, Shin-san?"

Asia looked a little worried about what Shin and Issei had been talking about, but Shin waved her worries with a carefree smile, which surprised Asia immensely.

"Oh yeah, everything's just fine Asia. Just reminded Issei that we also have school today, so we should probably hurry it up a bit~"

"O-Oh. I-Is that so? Then, we must make haste, yes?"

"Hehe, yes, that's right Asia. Now, let's go. Oh, and let me help you with your suitcase."

Shin didn't necessarily need an answer, as he proceeded to rid the girl of her heavy suitcase anyway. She gave a short protest, but didn't pursue it and just let Shin carry her suitcase over his shoulder.

The boy then glanced back at Issei, who still seemed a little lost in thought.

"Hyoudou, you coming, or are you just gonna keep staring into the distance? This was your idea, so lead the way."

"H-Huh? Oh, y-yeah, I forgot. Sorry about that."

Scratching the back of his head and releasing a sheepish laugh, Issei went to Asia's side and the three began walking down on of the streets, heading toward the church Asia was appointed to.

* * *

Shin, Asia and Issei kept walking together for a while, until they ended up passing by a small park, where small kids were playing with their families.

"Waaahh!"

"Hm?"

However as they did, they began hearing a small child crying. Curious, they all turned their heads toward the sound, where they saw a young boy on the ground, clutching his knee and crying.

"Oh, are you alright, Yosh-kun?"

The child's mother went to her son's side and comforted him.

"Kids. Always tripping over something and crying about it afterward."

Shin couldn't help but speak his mind, causing Asia to look up at him with a pout and pinch his cheek, which made Shin yelp out surprised.

"That's not nice, Shin-san. That's just how children learn. We can't condemn them for it."

The blonde then let go of Shin's cheek, and made her way inside the park and to the boy.

Once she reached him, she bent down and with a smile, placed her palm on the boy's knee.

"Big boys like you shouldn't cry over a scrape like this."

 ***glow***

"Wow, what the..."

Issei was taken by surprise, when a soft green glow appeared around Asia's hand, after which the wounds on the boy's knee slowly began to disappear. And following that, Issei's left hand began aching slightly, causing the brunette's eyes to open wider than usual.

"By you expression, I'm guessing you figured it out right?"

"That glow..."

"Indeed. Like yourself, Asia possess a Sacred Gear. Twillight Healing."

"So she has a Sacred Gear too..."

The conversation didn't last long, as Asia finished healing the boy's knee, and patted his head with a smile on her face.

"There we go. The pain should be all gone now~"

She then stood up and quickly made her way back to Shin and Issei, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help it~"

Shin glanced back at the boy, whose mother looked at Asia with shock. Shin understood why, as normal humans didn't usually come across Sacred Gears out in the open like that, however what annoyed him, was the way the mother quickly took her son away, as if Asia was some sort of freak.

"Thanks Onee-chan!"

Fortunately, the young boy recognized what Asia did as an act of kindness, and called back to thank her, before his mother took him away. He even waved to her, a gesture Asia returned happily.

"He said 'Thank you Onee-chan'."

Remembering Asia saying she doesn't speak Japanese all that well, Issei translated for her, which brought a happy smile unto the girl's face.

They then resumed their walking, where silence reigned for a while, until Issei couldn't help but question something.

"So...that power."

"Yes, it's something given to me from above. It's a gift from God."

Although Asia said that with a smile, her words had a clearly sad undertone. And that's something Shin called her out for.

"Yeah right. A gift is supposed to bring happiness."

"But it does bring happiness, Shin-san. Everyone I heal is happy afterward, right?"

Although Shin said the notion of Asia's Sacred Gear being a gift with disdain, the girl herself didn't seem to mind the implication, and simply made the best of the situation.

Shin saw this and shook his head, but didn't question it further. Instead, he sighed lightly, before focusing back on the road.

' _Looks like her Sacred Gear has caused her some sadness in the past. Damn, now the mood isn't exactly fit for "Hey I have a Sacred Gear too!"'_ Issei saw the little exchange, and deduced he should probably keep his Sacred gear to himself for now.

And so, the little group kept walking for a while, until they finally reached and old and dilapidated church around the outskirts of the town.

 ***chillss***

Naturally, as soon as they got close, Issei began feeling some very serious chills down his spine, which caused him to stop dead in it's track.

Fortunately, Asia didn't notice the sudden stop, as she took out a map that she had and used it to compare the two location. After she confirmed they ended up in the right place, she turned to Issei and Shin with a smile.

"Yes, this is it! Oh, I'm so glad~"

She said that with a breath of relief and bowed toward the two boys. Issei returned the gesture, however Shin focused on something about the building itself instead, which he thought was something of interest.

' _This church...God has clearly forsaken it. And yet, some of the lights are on. Is this what I think it is…?'_ Suspicious, Shin sent a wave of energy around the area, to see whether what he was looking for was indeed here and, lo and behold, his eyes opened wide as he felt a bunch of energy signatures, a few of which he was familiar with.

Then, his eyes narrowed slightly, as he looked straight at the church.

' _So, this is where you bastards were hiding, huh? Looks like I'm one step closer to getting the job done. Might as well get it all over with...'_

"Well, I think it's time we go. We still need to get to class, and we're already pretty late, right Kurokawa?"

Shin took a single step forward, before Issei's voice snapped him back to his senses. He briefly forgot that he wasn't alone. Both Asia and Issei were present, and if he decided to bust into the church now, it could turn ugly really quick.

' _...Fuck. I forgot both Asia and Issei are here. I would've been just fine on my own, but with them here, they'll just be a hindrance since neither of them can defend themselves. As fast as I am, with the amount of people in there, I couldn't protect them.'_

He thought that, and his fist clenched tightly.

' _But Asia...I can't leave her with these bastards. Who knows what'll happen. She's too pure for these dirty crows…!'_

With heavy heart, Shin turned to look back at Asia with an apologetic smile on his face.

"Y-Yeah, he's right. We still need to get to school. Seeya Asia."

The two boys then turned to leave, however they stopped once Asia called out.

"W-Wait! Please, you've taken the time to help me get here, so at least let me make you some tea? You can stay over if it's just for that, right?"

Asia said that, hoping she could do something to repay the kindness. However, Issei had to deny her.

"A-Ah...That's very nice of you, truly, but we need to get going."

"O-Oh, is that so..." she sounded a little sad, but then she smiled once again. "Shin-san, I'd like to catch up sometime, so please feel free to visit me anytime. And that also goes for you, Issei-san. I'd like to thank you both properly next time~"

"Thanks for the offer, Asia. Sure, we'll take you up on it, right Hyoudou?"

"U-Uh, right! I'd love to hang out with you, Argento-san! And when we do, please call me Ise."

"I-Ise-san then. Yes, then that's what I will call you! But if I get to call you Ise-san, then please also call me Asia!"

And with a final wave from Issei, him and Shin turned back and began heading back to school, with Asia waving and watching them until they disappeared from view.

Her arm then lowered, and with her expression dropping slightly, she turned on her heels and walked into the old church.

* * *

As Shin and Issei walked in silence, the midnight haired teen couldn't help but think back on the encounter with Asia. And as he thought about it, the words spoken to him by the Lolita girl a while back resounded in his head.

" _ **You yourself, have betrayed others before, haven't you?"**_

' _Grr...Shut the hell up!'_ Shin raged in his own mind, shaking his head in an attempt to get rid of the girl's words. His eyes then narrowed slightly, as he grit his teeth.

' _Dammit...why do her words cut so deep, now of all times? Whenever I think nothing can phase me anymore, somehow I'm reminded of my heart-'_ but as he thought that, a melancholic expression appeared on his face, couple by a short chuckle in his mind. _'-huh? A heart? To think I still have such a thing...'_

But then, as quick as it came, his melancholy disappeared and was replaced with a steeled gaze, as his eyes released soft glowing streaks once more.

' _Tch...What are you doing Shin? Your path is already decided. All the pieces are in place. This is your one and only shot. We won't get another chance...'_

Subtly, Shin glanced behind him where he could still see a bit of the old church in the distance.

' _Asia...there's something about her. I felt it back then, and I still feel it now. To be able to pull on my heart strings...yes, I think I understand. Asia...You may very well be a Dragon Tamer, without even realizing it.'_

With that, Shin had put his inner turmoil to rest, for now.

And without uttering another word, him and Issei kept walking back to school, eventually arriving only one period late.

After that, the day went by fairly normally.

Shin got 'assaulted' by his fangirls, as usual, and did his duty as Jeanne's 'Big Brother' to keep all perverts away from her, which was really funny to the girl herself. She enjoyed seeing these things.

Issei was doing his normal pervert stuff, trying to perv on various girls during lunch break with his two friends Matsuda and Motohama, which obviously ended in disaster, as it always does.

The fact they both arrived late was mostly overseen by the teacher. Well, that was the case for Shin, as he was still relatively new. Issei, wasn't all that lucky, and ended up with more workload.

However, Shin didn't get completely off the hook either, as Sona somehow got wind of him arriving late and called him to her office after school.

* * *

' _I better prepare for an earful. Sona doesn't seem to be the type to let tardiness slip by.'_

That's what Shin thought, as he walked down the familiar hallway heading toward the Student Council room. Issei walked with him for the first portion of the way, before splitting off and heading toward the ORC, as he still had his own devil duties to take care of.

Jeanne wanted to come with Shin, however he convinced her to head to the ORC as well and wait for him there. Truly, he simply didn't want Jeanne to witness Sona reprimand Shin, so she could have more dirt on the boy.

' _The fact she knows about me and Yasaka is enough to last for this whole lifetime...'_ Shin thought with a sweatdropped, blushing lightly as he remembered what Jeanne revealed yesterday.

A few short minutes of walking later, and Shin found himself in front of the big wooden door that led to the Student Council room.

The boy didn't bother to knock this time, as Sona was already expecting him and he sensed who was all in the room a few steps back. He did however think of something funny.

' _Hmm, it was a nice entrance when I brought Issei to the ORC for the first time. And now I got an even better idea for it~'_

Thus, he lightly cleared his throat, and knocked on the door a few times.

He then took a step back, and waited with a grin on his face for Sona's voice to call out.

 **A few moments before, inside the Student Council room…**

Sat at her desk, Sona was currently glancing over some papers presented to her by Tsubaki, who was currently dealing with her own share of paperwork in a corner of the room, stationed near Sona.

In fact, the majority of the student council members were present, and were currently taking care of paperwork.

 ***knock* *knock***

That was, until two knocks were heard on the door, causing everyone present to perk up.

"Yes? Come in" Sona called out, however, the door didn't open. Raising an eyebrow, Sona called out again. "Kurokawa-san, is that you?"

" _You ever seen the movie Shrek?"_ Shin's voice called out from the other side of the door, confusing Sona slightly.

"U-Uh...no? Why?"

" _Open the door for me and I'll tell you."_

Everyone was confused, by the question, evident by the complicated expressions they had on their faces.

"S-Saji, could you open the door?"

"Ah, yes! O-Of course, Kaichou."

Sona turned to Saji, who quickly nodded his head, stood up and began walking toward the door.

However as he did, his senior Momo seemed to realize something about the current situation, and called out toward her fellow devil.

"Wait, Saji-kun, don't go near the door!"

"Huh?"

Saji turned back confused, however it was too late as he was now right in front of the door. Momo saw this and only had time to facepalm, before Shin's voice resounded from the other side.

" _SOME-!"_

"The hell?"

 **BANG! *SMACK***

"-BODY ONCE TOLD ME THE WORLD IS GONNA ROLL ME!"

 ***-crash!***

Singing the opening line of the infamous 'All Star' from Smash Mouth, Shin kicked the door open with a powerful kick, causing it to fly open violently, and consecutively smack Saji square in the face and send him flying into the opposite wall, startling all the devils present.

"Heh. You obviously ain't the sharpest tool in the shed~" Shin sang with a small laugh, seeing Saji slowly drip off the wall like a big splatter.

He then fell to the ground, where some of his fellow devils rushed to see if he was alright, while Sona and Tsubaki stood up and looked at Shin with shock.

"K-Kurokawa-san! What's the meaning of this?! I asked you to **come** in! There's no need to break the door, and my servant!"

"I know, but where's the fun in that? Besides, it's his own fault for standing in front of the door like a dumbass. Seriously, who just goes in front of the door when someone says some cryptic stuff on the other side? That's how people get blown... **the fuck up**. Think of it as a lesson for the future."

Sona was, speechless, to say the least. Slumping back in her chair, Sona's face hit her palm, hard.

"Oh my Maou...please don't tell me Onee-sama already rubbed off on him so much..."

"Hehe, don't worry, you sister didn't make me like this. This whole room is just so...stagnant, I guess. I just tried to liven things up a bit. Everyone needs a little surprise in their lives."

Shin tried to cheer Sona up, but it didn't manage to do much, as both her and her Queen kept facepalming at what happened.

It was around this time that Saji came back to. Shaking his head, he stood up at glared at Shin with the wrath of a thousand suns.

"What the hell Kurokawa?! You trying to pick a fight or something?! I don't care if you're Serafall-sama's Queen or what, if you mess with me, I'll put you in your place!"

Shin, barely registered Saji's threat, instead looking at him with curiosity, as he noticed something he missed the first time they met.

' _Ho? What's this? This boy...I feel Vritra's energy coming from him. Although it seems to be just a small fragment...'_

Shin's face then turned slightly pensive.

' _Hmm. She was right, I missed quite a bit. It looks like the age of the Dragon Kings has come to an end. First Tannin, who I felt had become a devil, and now Vritra as a Sacred Gear? And since the world has been doing fine and dandy for a few centuries at least, I guess Midgardsormr is still sleeping. Well, it's not like he'd do anything regardless. But still...Now I'm left wondering what happened to Fafnir and Tiamat. Fafnir...Humpf, I could care less about that treasure hoarder. Though I do wonder what happened to Tiamat over the years...Heh. I doubt she's no longer active. I heard Beelzebub talk about her, so she must be somewhere related to the devils. But unlike Tannin, I don't think her pride as a dragon would've let her become a servant devil. Fufufu, guess some things rubbed off, huh?'_

"Hey, are you even listening to me, you piece of crap!?"

Shin was immediately snapped out of his pensive mode, upon hearing Saji's insult. There, his eyes narrowed slightly, and the air seemed to grow heavier around the two, causing the devils who felt it to look a little worriedly.

"Hoh? You're still barking? I suggest you chill, before you get hurt kid. I'd hate to leave Sona a few Pawns short."

"Guh-?!" Saji was taken by surprise when Shin called out his Piece. However, he didn't back down. "S-So what if I'm a Pawn?!"

"You'd stand no chance. Seriously, you're pressing the borderline between 'brave' and 'stupid'. You should know to back down when facing against a stronger opponent."

"Grr, that's it pretty boy!"

"Saji, stop!"

Saji rushed Shin with his fist raised, and while Sona did clearly order him to stop, it didn't help much. With that, the rest of Sona's servants facepalmed in unison, as they knew what was going to happen.

"Honestly, what is wrong with you people?"

That was all Shin mumbled, before taking a normal step to the side in order to avoid Saji's swing.

 ***chop***

After that, Shin applied a simple karate chop to the side of Saji's neck which was almost invisible to the onlookers, before the blonde's body suddenly stopped working and he collapsed face-first on the ground.

Shin looked down at the boy with genuine confusion plastered on his face.

"Alright, I'm really confused right now. Are you all deficient in common sense, or do you have a death wish. This is the second time one of you has tried to attack knowing full well that you're gonna get your ass kicked. Sona, I would've thought of all devils I met so far, your servants would be the ones capable of self restraint."

"That's what I thought as well, but it appears I may have been a little lenient lately."

"G-Gh..! K-Kaichou...I'm s-sorryy…!"

Even with his body temporarily paralyzed from Shin's neck chop, Sona's dark tone still made Saji shake with fear, so he put all his strength into moving his mouth in order to mutter an apology, in hopes he wouldn't receive all of Sona's wrath.

"Quiet Saji. You should know full well not to raise a hand to anyone of a higher standing than yourself." Saji released a whine, while Sona glanced at Shin. "But Kurokawa-san, please refrain from such entrances in the future. I'll let it slide this time, however I do not tolerate anyone hurting my servants. As Saji said, Onee-sama's Queen or not."

"Hehe. Alright, I'll remember to enter normally from now on. A woman's wrath, is the last thing I would ever want to provoke."

Although he said it in a carefree manner, Shin did bow his head apologetically, making Sona give a short and satisfied nod of her head.

Then boy then raised his head again.

"So? What did you call me here for?"

"Ah, yes. I almost forgot."

Sona gestured for Shin to take a seat on one of the couches in the room, and continued after he sat down.

"First off, I didn't call you here because of your tardiness today."

"Oh, great-"

"However..."

"-oh, fuck."

"I do wish to know what exactly held you and Hyoudou-san up. Jeanne-san arrived on time, early even, which confused me as you two live together, yes?"

"Ah..yeah, we do live together currently, and we actually left for school at the same time, but I told her to go on ahead because of something that came up."

Sona's eyebrow raised upon hearing that.

"Oh? And what came up, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I just so happened to find a lead for a job I'm doing. Sorry, but that took priority."

"A job, huh? Yes, Rias did tell me a while ago that you are currently a freelancer. Hmm. I'm not in a position to meddle with your personal affairs, so if you say you followed a lead for your current job, then I'll take your word for it and overlook this."

"Thanks for understanding."

Shin bowed his head to show gratitude. And truthfully, he was happy Sona didn't inquire further, so he needn't say anything about Asia.

' _Asia's Twillight Healing would be an asset to any devil's peerage. And since she's human, anyone with a few spare Bishop or Pawn pieces could reincarnate her. Asia's is one of the most devout believers out there, and since she doesn't know about **that** , I don't know how turning into a devil may affect her. For now, I'll have to do my best to keep her away from all of this.'_

"Now, is that all?"

Shin raised his head back up and looked at Sona, who gave him a short nod.

"Yes, that's enough for me. But, before you go, what about Hyoudou-san? You two arrived together, so why was he late? Do you know?"

"Oh, Hyoudou just flexed his hidden gentleman skills. Trust me, I was there. And I was very surprised. But that's what he did. He just helped out a poor wandering spirit find their way back~"

With that, Shin turned on his heels and began walking toward the door. He then turned around and gave one last bow to the people present, before opening the door and leaving the clubroom.

Once he was outside, Shin made his way directly toward the ORC room, to meet back up with Jeanne and see if she wanted to go back home with him.

The reason, was because he needed to make a certain phone call.

' _Asia's got something to do with those bastards, and **he** must have some idea as to what that is. And if not, then he can at least find out faster and more efficiently than me. At least I hope..._'

In a few short minutes, Shin entered the old school building and headed up to the clubroom.

Once in front of the door, he simply grasped the doorknob and twisted, not bothering to knock or anything, as he didn't believe it was necessary at this point. Everyone should be able to sense him approaching.

However, as he opened the door…

* * *

"You must never go near the church again, understand?"

"Goddammit Hyoudou, did you seriously tell her?"

As soon as Shin stepped through the door, he was greeted by the sight of Rias giving Issei a lecture. The redhead was sat on her desk with a serious expression on her face, and Issei was stood in front of her with his head hanging low.

However, as soon as Shin's voice was heard, Rias turned her sights on him, mildly surprising him by how serious she was.

"Shin-kun, you were with Ise, weren't you? Why did you allow him to go near the church? You of all people should know best how easy it is for an Exorcist to eliminate a devil that steps on the church's grounds. Couldn't you have just brought that nun to the church yourself, so Ise wouldn't be at risk of getting hit by a spear of light? You know Ise can't defend himself yet, in the case of an attack."

Rias, was obviously pissed. And it showed in how relentless she was with her questioning.

' _Jeez, nevermind, I guess what Akeno said back then was true after all. Rias really does care a great deal for her servants.'_

Shin sweatdropped as he thought that, still seeing Rias look at him with an intense gaze. So with a sigh, he tried his best to calm the girl down.

"Okay, Rias, you need to chill a bit. Okay? Chill. You know what that means, right?"

"..."

Rias said nothing, but her stare intensified, which made Shin's sweatdrop grow in size.

"Okay, okay. Bad tactic, I get it. But truly, you need to chill. First off, I went with Hyoudou, okay? You just said it yourself, I know best how easy it is to exterminate a devil on the grounds of the church, so naturally, he'd also be safest with me on such grounds."

Shin raised a finger, while saying that. Then, he raised another one.

"Second off, that church was clearly abandoned by God. Trust me, no angel gives a crap about it anymore, clearly. All of you could go there and have a party, no from Heaven would care."

And then, Shin raised a final third finger.

"And lastly, I just moved in this town like not even a month ago, alright? I only know my way to school and around the shopping district. If I were to try and bring the Sister to the church, we'd only get even more lost, okay? I have a terrible sense of direction."

Rias stared at the boy blankly for a while, before she released a loud sigh.

"Alright, fine. I'll take your word for it, that Ise was in no immediate danger. However, Ise."

"Y-Yes?"

"Since you were with Shin-kun this time, and the church was abandoned, you were safe this time. Truthfully, you may have been fine regardless, since what you did today was an act of kindness. Angels will let one such occasion slip, however don't think that they'll hesitate to smite you the next time you get near an active church, got it?"

Hearing this, Issei gulped audibly.

"As a human, you can be reborn, however as a devil, there's no way to bring you back. Once you die by a weapon of light, that's it. It's the end of the road, Ise. There's nothing after that."

"Now, in retrospect, that's not really a bad thing for the one who dies, y'know? Since, your consciousness just disappears, there's really nothing more to it. No pain, no anguish, no nothing. It's like the stage when you just fell asleep and aren't aware of your surroundings anymore, but still before you start dreaming."

"Shin-kun, that's not the point here."

"I'm just sayin'..."

Rias sighed once more, before she shook her head lightly. She then looked back at Issei, with a much softer expression.

"I'm sorry Ise. I got a little too heated. But I'm serious. Anyone related to the church, is bad news for devils. Shin-kun, I think you should take over in explaining this part."

"Who am I, the fucking Google Assistant? He's **your** servant, so it's **your** responsibility to tell him about this stuff. On that note, you're really late with the whole 'Stay away from the church' warning. Shouldn't you have told him about that after he just turned into a devil?"

"I did tell him, but I couldn't go too deep on the subject. As for why I want you to explain, it's because I want Issei to hear the dangers from an actual Exorcist, who I take it is experienced on the matter?"

Hearing this, Issei's eyes opened wide and looked at Shin with shock.

Said boy was now seated back on the couch, next to Jeanne, as usual. The girl was cuddling close to him and both were enjoying Akeno's tea.

"Wait, you're an Exorcist Kurokawa? But, didn't Buchou say you were serving someone too? W-What the hell?"

"Okay, first off, I'm not actually an Exorcist anymore. I **used** to be one. And second off, I told you yesterday that it was complicated, alright? I'm not actually serving her either. I guess you could think of it as something along the lines of 'a mutually beneficial agreement'. That's all it is."

"A mutually beneficial agreement? So there **is** something you're seeking to gain from this whole ordeal after all, right Shin-kun?"

Rias raised an eyebrow and spoke in an amused tone, while Shin replied in a blank tone.

"Of course there's something I want, I'm not doing this for free. And no offense, but I don't want a devil of all beings to point that out to me. You guys have a notorious reputation for your own greed, remember?"

"Yes, you're right." Rias didn't seem phased in the least, instead keeping her smile as she spoke. "Well, anyway, that was just a small observation. Please, return to the matter at hand."

"Yeah, fine."

With a small wave of his hand, Shin turned his head toward Issei again, who seemed to be ready to pay close attention.

"Now, Issei. There's really only two being affiliated with the Church that you should look out for. Angels and Exorcists."

He then began explaining the individual details of the two beings to the brunette.

"First off, angels. Even you can figure our why you should watch out for the right?" Issei nodded his head, so Shin continued. "Good, at least you understand that much. But pretty much, angels are the beings who work directly under God. Meaning, if you were to fight an angel, you'd better make damn sure you're stronger, because that angel has God standing behind them, and he could smite a devil like you in the blink of an eye."

"D-Damn, angels are too OP..."

"Well of course, since you're a devil. You guys are naturally weak to angels. But put that aside for now. Angels rarely come down to earth, to deal with devils. For that, they have the Exorcists. And here is where you should pay attention."

"Exorcists, are humans with blessings from God. That means they are empowered by God to hurt you devils. Usually, Exorcists have two types of weapons. And you should really remember this, because this could possibly save your life."

Shin then showed his hand to Issei and raised one finger.

"First, are the weapons of light. Those, are the basics, for any Exorcist in training. Since they can't make their own weapons of light like angels do, Exorcists are given special equipment that incorporates light. Unless they changed something after I left, then they only have a gun with blessed bullets, or a sword of light. Y'know, they're kinda like the light sabers from Star Wars."

"Okay, I think I understand. So these weapons are basically like the spear of light I was stabbed with?"

"That right. It's important to know this, because you **can** technically survive them fairly easily, if you have a high enough pain tolerance and most importantly, don't get fatally wounded. Got that? As long as it's not the head or chest area, you're gonna be in a world of pain, but chances are, you're gonna survive if you're not alone."

"But now, come the big guns some Exorcists have. And for that, I'll give you a real life example."

Shin then stood up and closed his eyes. His hand then extended forward, and gained the familiar golden glow, which made Issei's eyes open wide.

 ***whoosh***

 **-SHING!**

"-!"

And in an instant, Shin crossed the distance between himself and Issei, and appeared behind the brunette, holding his Holy Sword up to the boys neck. Issei himself had immediately turned pale from fear, and his knees started to shake, but he managed to stay upright.

Naturally, Issei's fellow devils were taken by surprise, however, they knew Shin did this to better get the point across. Though that didn't mean they liked the method.

"Number two. High ranked Exorcists, usually carry some sort of holy relic. Worst case scenario, you'll run into the second strongest Sacred Gear, but that's a tale for another time."

He said that quickly, knowing Issei wouldn't catch it due to still being in shock from having a sword held to his neck, however Rias and the rest did hear what Shin said, and were shocked.

' _The second strongest Sacred Gear...He must refer to one of the Longinuses. And since it's second, it must be one with world class powers. I'll have to do some research on it but...this is most troublesome. Just what other monsters does the church have at it's disposal...?'_

Rias, was understandably put on edge upon hearing that piece of information. As a devil, to hear that one of the strongest weapons out there was in the hands of the enemy, was quite unsettling.

However, she put that on the back burner for the moment, and focused back on Shin's explanation, hoping she might catch some other useful info for the future.

"Now, what you have to your neck, is known as a Holy Sword. Holy Swords are basically soaked in holy energy, so a proper stab from these thingies, and you're done for. A stab from a sword of light? Survivable. Stab from a Holy Sword? Not so much."

Hearing that, Issei gulped, as a bead of sweat rolled down his face.

"Now this particular sword, is Excalibur Galatine, one of eight fragments of the original Excalibur. You know it right? The sword in the stone?"

"Y-Yeah...I think I've h-heard of it..."Issei mumbled slightly, slowly getting a hold of himself again.

"Good. Then remember the fact that, of those eight fragments, six of them are in the possession of the church. That means, you are bound to run into one of their wielders in the future, so it's good to know what to expect."

"Each individual fragment, bar my Galatine, has one trait from the original blade. And the key thing you should remember, is that the name of the individual blade gives away it's ability. Got that? If you come across a wielder of an Excalibur fragment, try to make them tell you the name of the blade, and you'll know what to expect."

"Now, there are other Holy Swords out there, other than Excalibur. And a whole bunch of them are on par, or stronger. However, the majority of them are scattered throughout the world. So truly, Excalibur is the only Holy Sword you should worry about, for the moment."

"O-Okay..." Issei gave a short nod, before glancing back at Shin and pointing at his blade. "Now, can you please take this thing away from my neck before I accidentally give myself some gills?"

Shin chuckled lightly and took Galatine away from the brunette's neck, causing the teen to breathe out in relief. He then made Galatine disappear, and returned to couch next to Jeanne.

* * *

"A-hem! Haven't you forgotten something, Shi-chan?"

Said girl cleared her throat loudly, and looked at Shin expectantly. However, he just looked back confused.

"What is it?"

"The Sacred Gears? And your fire and ice?"

"Oh. Yeah, that. Also-"

 **WHACK-!**

"Owieee!"

"THIS IS THE THIRD TIME YOU'VE BLURTED OUT SOMETHING YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO!"

With his fist clenched tight, Shin roared at the poor girl, who was now clutching her head with small tears in her eyes, due to being nailed on top of the head by Shin's fist.

"I-I'm sorry Shi-chan! I completely forgot about that!"

Naturally, Jeanne apologized to Shin, who huffed and crossed his arms, an annoyed expression being evident on his face.

The onlookers saw this, and sweatdropped.

Rias in particular, wanted to question what fire Jeanne mentioned, but once she saw what happened, she decided to reconsider and instead play dumb.

"What? I didn't quite catch that? You said Sacred Gears and what?"

"NOTHING! And nothing, that's what Jeanne meant, right?"

"U-Uh, yeah! T-That's right~ I meant to say the fire of a certain Sacred Gear! N-Not anything to do with Shi-chan's-"

"Jeanne."

"-imma just...shut up now..."

Jeanne shrunk a bit, and began drawing circles with her fingers on the leather couch, looking a little depressed, which made the devil's in the room look on with a joint sweatdrop.

Shin then shook his head and took a sip from his cup of tea.

"Rias can explain that another time. For now, the information I gave should suffice. But one more thing, Hyoudou."

Shin looked straight at Issei, who looked back with uncertainty.

"As you are now, you won't make it far in the world. That's the truth, Hyoudou. If you want to get somewhere, you'll need to get stronger. That's what you need to remember."

With that, Shin took a final sip from his cup, before he placed it back on the table and stood up. He then turned to Jeanne, who was still sulking.

"Want to head home Jeanne?"

"..."

"...I'll cook you dinner?"

"..."

"...Okay, I'll wash your back…?"

"...mmhh..."

 ***sigh***

"...We'll go clothes shopping and you can buy whatever you want-"

"Alrighty, let's go~!"

The first two suggestions didn't cheer Jeanne up, but as soon as clothes were brought up, she immediately reverted back to her usual self.

And then, she began dragging Shin out of the room, giving everyone else a quick wave before the two teens were gone.

Rias and the rest were left looking at the door blinking rapidly.

"W-Well...At least Jeanne-san is back on her feet."

Yuuto chuckled unevenly, while Koneko stared blankly at the door.

"Jeanne-senpai is, very unpredictable. And hyperactive. A tiresome senpai."

The small girl spoke her mind, and everyone else couldn't refute her. They agreed, Jeanne was extremely unpredictable.

* * *

A while later, Shin and Jeanne arrived back home.

However, something drew their attention.

"What the…?"

"Eh? Shi-chan? Did we leave the light on when we left?"

"Why would we turn the light on in the morning in the first place? That's when we left, and no one's been since."

To step inside the house, only to see a light shining into the hallway from the living room area, made Shin suspicious.

With his eyes narrowed, Shin silently made his way over to the entrance to the living room, with Jeanne following close behind him, both hiding their presences so they wouldn't alert whoever was inside the house.

Once they got close enough, they heard some movement coming from the kitchen. When Shin took a glance, he saw someone moving about.

He looked back at Jeanne, and whispered.

"You stay here. I'll take care of it, alright?"

"Uh, Shi-chan, there's something you should know-"

However, Shin was already on the move, which made Jeanne release a short sigh and shrug her shoulders.

As for Shin, he was already standing next to the entrance to the kitchen, still masking his own presence, but keeping a close eye on the energy signature of whoever was in the kitchen.

Curiously, as he got closer, he could hear slight humming.

' _From what I can hear, it's a female. But who would...oh.'_ realization suddenly washed over Shin's features, who immediately had an idea as to who the intruder was. But then, his eyes narrowed slightly. _'But wait, it could also be...Hmm, where's Kurome?'_

With a knowing look, Shin glanced around the room, scanning for the small black feline.

"Nyyaah~"

 ***rub* *rub***

However, he didn't have to search for long, as he soon felt something rubbing against his leg.

Upon glancing down, Shin seemed mildly surprised to see Kurome meowing and rubbing against his leg affectionately. Seeing this, Shin subtly raised an eyebrow.

' _So there you were...Still as Kurome the cat as well. Alright then, we'll play the game for a little while longer.'_ Shin then glanced back toward the kitchen, where he still heard the female humming to herself while moving about in the kitchen.

' _Then that means that's-'_

"Nyaa~"

"Hm? Kuro-chan, is that you? What's wrong little kitty?"

As soon as Kurome meowed, a voice came from the kitchen. And that voice made Shin's face immediately turn blank.

' _Yup. Fucking knew it...'_ and with the same expression present, he raised his left hand up, where the same tribal tattoo from before appeared on his arm. _'Welp, I don't appreciate people showing up in my house without my notice, so it's time we dish out some just punishment.'_

 ***click***

 **-CRRACKK**

"Kyaa?!"

With a short snap of his fingers, the sound of cracking ice resounded from the kitchen, followed by the shriek of a very familiar voice.

Releasing a sigh, Shin's marking disappeared, and the boy stepped into the kitchen, to confront the culprit.

* * *

"So, care to explain yourself?"

"O-Oh, Shi-chan! E-ehehe, s-surprise! I h-have some free t-time again, so I decided to g-give my cutest Q-Queen a s-surprise!"

There, with her lower half frozen in place by Shin's violet Ice, stood everyone's favorite Magical Girl, Sera-tan. Or as she's more commonly known, the Maou Serafall Leviathan.

"A surprise, huh?"

Throwing a quick glance around the kitchen, Shin saw various utensils along with bowls sprawled on the counter. There were also a few smear stains on the counter, as well as on Serafall's face.

Speaking of Serafall, she was currently wearing a pink apron with various Magical Girl ornaments on it, as well as the words 'Best Magical Girl' written on the chest area. But there was something else Shin noticed about the girl.

' _From the way she's shivering, I'm going to guess that apron is the only thing she has on…'_

Shin sweatdropped as he thought that, being a little thankful Serafall didn't manage to catch him off guard with her state of undress.

"Shi-chan? Did you realize yet?"

At that moment, Jeanne also walked in the kitchen, having both Sayaka and Kurome trot behind her.

"Ah, h-hey there Jeanne-chan! H-Have you b-b-been well~?"

Serafall tried to not look bothered by the ice, but it was clear from her greeting that even though the ice didn't affect her in a harmful way, it most certainly let Serafall know that it was still very much there.

And that it was very cold.

"Shi-chan, you should probably thaw her out. She doesn't seem to be doing so hot right now."

"First off, horrible pun."

Jeanne's shoulders slumped slightly, hearing what Shin said. He then continued.

"Second off, this is punishment for breaking in my house again. I let the first time slide, but I will not let this become a habit. Understood?"

He finished his sentence with a harsh gaze sent toward Serafall, who chuckled awkwardly.

"I-I just wanted t-to make you a cake, S-Shi-chan! Since y-you were a g-good Queen-"

"Maybe I should raise the ice a bit."

"-P-PROXY Queen, during the w-welcoming party I t-thought you d-deserved a n-nice l-little reward~ O-Or would y-you rather h-have me~?"

Serafall wanted to make that sound sensual, but it only sounded awkward due to her teeth chattering from the cold ice around her private quarters, which, since she only wore the apron, was a lot worse than anywhere else.

"Yeah, don't know about that. You aren't really all that hot right now, y'know?"

"Hey! That's my joke!"

Jeanne immediately looked back up as soon as she heard Shin re-use her own joke.

"And it's still awful. Thanks for claiming ownership of it Jeanne. Great sport."

Shin responded by patting the girl's shoulder, making a complicated expression to appear on her face, before she turned around and walked into the living room grumbling.

Shin then turned back to Serafall, who looked at him with a smile, though it was clear she was clenching her jaw, to stop her teeth from chattering.

Seeing this, the midnight haired teen released a short sigh, and clicked his fingers once more, causing the ice Serafall was encased in to crack, and subsequently disperse.

Freed from her icy prison, Serafall shook her body once more, before she regained her childish smile and glued her mostly naked body to Shin.

Said boy looked on blankly.

"...What are you doing?"

"Warming up. Since you froze me, I need to put my body against yours to warm up so I don't get frost bite~"

Serafall then looked up at Shin with a lewd expression, which surprised Shin to an extent.

"Or~ Would you rather warm up just the parts that are frozen, hmm? Ever had a 'kitty pop' before?"

She wiggled her eyebrows expectantly, but Shin just glanced back to the entrance to the living room.

"Hey Jeanne?"

"Yeah?"

"Kurome still there?"

"Uh, yeah she's just chilling on my boobs like usual."

"Okay."

"By the way, Serafall-san didn't mean an actual cat pop."

"Huh? What did she mean then?"

"She meant foreplay!"

"Oh. So that's what she meant, huh?"

Shin then turned to Serafall, who looked a little confused by the short conversation.

"Then no. I've never had a...'kitty pop' before."

"Well, would you like to try then? I hear it tastes great~"

"Oh, so you've given it to others before?"

"W-Wha-? No, of course not!"

"Then how would you know it tastes great?"

"B-But doesn't it though? Isn't that why men have no problem with it?"

"It's all subjective."

"Aww..."

Serafall's shoulders slumped, before she heard a short chuckle coming from Shin. She then felt him pat her shoulder, causing her to look back up.

"You suck at flirting. Or teasing. Uh, whatever that was, you suck at it. Well it wouldn't have helped you regardless, since I'm not easily affected by either."

"He's had years of practice at the hands of-"

"Sayaka, I think Jeanne needs some help going upstairs to get ready for bed! How about you help her?!"

"*woof*-!"

"A-Ah, Sayaka-chan what're you doing-?!"

Jeanne was about to blurt out about Shin's experiences with Yasaka, but since the teen was ready this time, he interrupted her and called to his loyal companion for help.

 ***draaagg***

And following the command, Serafall and Shin saw Sayaka dragging Jeanne on the floor by her shirt, while the blonde herself simply looked on with a smile and waved at the two.

"W-Well, it looks like I have to take a shower now~ Seeya later, Serafall-san~"

"Hehe, later Jeanne-chan! Oh, and call me Sera-tan from now on! The Magical Girl, Sera-tan~"

"Sure thing!"

Jeanne dragged the sentence out a bit, before she was dragged completely out of view by the white husky.

And after Jeanne disappeared, Kurome stepped in the frame and waved her paw at Shin and Serafall.

"Nyaa~"

And with that, the black feline followed Jeanne's example and hopped out of the frame.

"You have a very lively household Shi-chan."

"You don't know half of it. Tonight was actually pretty tame."

"Is that so? Well, sorry to say but it's only going to get livelier now that the Magical Girl Sera-tan has joined the game~"

"Yeah, I sort of figured as much..."

Shin sighed when he said that, before moving away from Serafall and walking into the living room.

There, he threw his jacket on one of the chairs and plopped on the couch.

"You look tired Shi-chan. Or rather, distraught."

Serafall followed after Shin, changing her outfit to something more formal, which slightly surprised Shin. However, he ignored it as he figured the Magical Girl outfit wasn't everything a Maou like her would have.

"It's nothing. Just some personal things, is all."

"Hmm, but it's clearly affecting you. I can't just stand by knowing that, y'know?"

"I'm not part of your peerage. You don't have to worry yourself with such things, alright? I can deal with them just fine."

As he said that, he felt Serafall place her hands on his either side of his face, and made him face her. With that, she looked intently in Shin's eyes, before she spoke.

"You say that, but your eyes tell something different."

Shin was taken lightly off guard by Serafall, however he didn't let it show on his face.

The two stayed like this for a few more moments, before Shin closed his eyes and grabbed Serafall's hand. Then, he opened his eyes once more.

 ***glow***

"You'll find my eyes can tell a lot of things..."

"H-Huh..?"

Serafall was taken by surprise, when she caught a glimpse of a soft blue glow within Shin's eyes, followed by an unexplainable feeling coursing through her.

This caused her to instinctively blink a few times, thinking it must've been her imagination.

And as it turns out, that seemed to be the case, as everything was fine when she stopped blinking. Shin's eyes weren't glowing, and the feeling she had was also completely gone.

' _But...I could've sworn that...'_ Serafall was confused, but didn't have time to question it, as Shin stood up and began heading out of the room.

"You should head back now. I'm certain you still have some papers you need to take care of, right?"

"N-No, of course not! Y-Yeah, everything is all done, ehehe~ Which means I am free to spend the night with my Shi-chan, away from all those annoying-"

"Hello, Grayfia-san? Yeah, I wanted to ask about Serafall. Oh, you don't know where she is? And the elder devil's are looking for her? She skipped out on work again, huh? Okay, well, as it stands, Serafall's actually right-"

"-RIGHT ON HER WAY TO THE MAGICAL GIRL LAND! NIGHTY SHI-CHAN! SWEET DREAMS!"

 ***glow***

As soon as Serafall heard Grayfia's name being uttered, along with seeing that Shin indeed had his phone to his ear, the loli Maou jumped off the couch with the speed and agility of a mountain lion, and activated a magic circle before her feet even touched the floor.

After that, she immediately teleported away, leaving Shin standing all alone in the silent room.

.

.

.

"Hehehe~"

That was, until the boy started silently laughing to himself.

"Seriously, my phone wasn't even on. Serafall must really be scared of Grayfia-san, huh? Hmm, looks like it's a good idea Jeanne made her promise to drop by from time to time after all. I can ask her to give me some pointers on how to keep Serafall in line."

With that, Shin turned on his heels and walked out of the living room, still chuckling all the way.

* * *

As the clock reached around midnight, Shin's eyes opened in the darkness of his room.

Looking down on himself, he saw that Jeanne was sound asleep on his chest, so he slowly moved her off of him, careful to not wake the blonde up and swiftly got out of bed.

He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and walked out of the room, proceeding to head down in the living room.

There, he navigated the darkness and sat himself on the couch, before bringing the phone to his face and quickly swiping through his contacts, ultimately tapping one of the names and placing the phone to his ear.

.

.

.

 ***beep***

" ***yaawwn*...Yeah? Shin, is that you?"**

The phone rang for a few seconds, before the call was picked up, and the same man from before spoke in a tired and groggy voice.

"You sound tired."

" **Tired, huh? Well, sorry, but I'm not the one calling in the middle of the damn night! Seriously, couldn't you have called a little earlier? I need my beauty sleep you know?"**

"Oh, stop whining. You were probably tinkering with one of your weird devices, as usual, and fell asleep, am I right?"

" **...I can't deny, or confirm that."**

Shin shook his head and released an audible sigh at that.

" **Anyway, what did you call me for? Is it for the job? I already gave you everything I had on those four."**

"No, it's not actually about them. It's something else."

" **Something else?"**

"Yeah. Tell me, do you know a girl by the name of Asia Argento?"

" **Asia Argento? Oh, you mean the cute innocent blonde with the Twilight Healing? Yeah, I know her. She's been under our protection for a while now, actually. Why?"**

"Wait, she's been under **Grigori's** protection? When the hell did that happen?!"

" **You sound surprised. Yeah, she was kicked out of the church and branded as a heretic a few years back, and we've been helping her on and off ever since. Did you seriously not know about this?"**

"No, of course I didn't know! Why was she kicked out of the church?!"

" **Hmm, now that I think about it, it's no wonder you don't know what happened. She was kicked out just after you left the church, so it makes sense. But yeah, from what we gathered on the case, someone witnessed her healing a devil a few years back, and then the church realized her Twilight Healing can also heal devils and fallen angels. So she was kicked out on grounds of heresy, and we took her in after that. Having her on board in quite beneficial for us fallen angels, you know?"**

Shin, was left speechless. The information give to him just now shocked him.

' _Asia...she was kicked out? And it happened after I left...'_

However with that thought, the shock on Shin's face morphed into anger, as he clenched his fist and grit his teeth hard.

' _Dammit! If I hadn't left at that time, I may have been able to help her! And now she would still be in the church, not in the hands of those bastards! Fuck!'_

" **You've become really quiet Shin. I'm guessing you knew Asia, huh?"**

"Yeah...once upon a time."

" **Hmm. But since you're asking about her, I'll take another guess and say she's in Kuoh right now."**

"That's right. Met her today on my way to school."

" **Ah, crap. Raynare must have recruited her as a subordinate before she left. That stupid girl, going behind my back like this."**

"Yeah, I'm fairly certain Asia isn't the only one Raynare recruited behind your back. When I found their hiding spot today, I felt a whole bunch of other energy signatures. She probably took a few dozen stray exorcists with her."

" **Tch. I'm going to have a talk with Shemhazai, it seems. I thought I could leave him to supervise for a bit so I could indulge in my hobby from time to time, but it seems this has to be a two man job. Can't have any more subordinates going behind our backs."**

"You should've done that from the very beginning, idiot."

Shin couldn't help but say that out loud, hearing the person on the other side face fault.

" **I-Idiot?! Dammit, you and Vali always call me that! Stop hurting my feelings with your words!"**

" _ **It's not our fault that's what you behave as. This is not the first time you've made such mistakes Azazel."**_

" **Grr, stop spying on me Vali! What are you doing here?! Weren't you supposed to be training or something?"**

" _ **Alright, don't get so worked up. I was simply passing by when I heard you talking to someone, so I became interested. Is it Shin?"**_

" **Yeah, got something to tell him?"**

" _ **Yes, I do. Tell him I'm eagerly awaiting our rematch. I've gotten stronger since the last time, and he's the first one I want to try out my new techniques on."**_

" **Alright, fine, I'll tell him. Now shoo!"**

Shin then heard a door being closed on the other side.

Listening to the exchange was entertaining for Shin, but he still sweatdropped at the fact that it was carried in the middle of his own conversation.

" ***sigh* Vali told me to tell you-"**

"I heard, Azazel. Y-You two weren't really subtle with the conversation..."

" **Oh. Well then I don't have to bother relaying the message. Anyway, you said Raynare also recruited a bunch of Stray Exorcists, right? I'm guessing that complicates things a bit, doesn't it?"**

"No, it doesn't. But there **is** a change of plans though."

" **Hmm? And what's that?"**

"Asia. Her sacred gear is special. Call me paranoid, but I have a sneaky suspicion that, since she can't fight back, Raynare and the gang will try to get Asia's Sacred Gear for themselves. Do any of them know Senjutsu?"

" **Senjutsu? C'mon Shin, you're making me laugh. You know those four are currently nothing more than grunts. However, there are other ways to remove one's Sacred Gear, beside Senjutsu. You know that, right?"**

"Of course. But then, the user will inevitably die..."

Sadness was evident in Shin's voice.

Azazel was silent for a bit, before he released a breath.

" **Okay. I can tell you care about Asia's safety, so Shin, you can ignore what I said before. You are free to kill Raynare and all of her subordinates. Since they already crossed me and Shemhazai by going behind our backs, it doesn't make much difference anymore."**

"Alright then, but if that's the case, then you can also keep the payment for the job. Doesn't make sense for you to pay me to kill your subordinates."

" **Well, technically it kind of does, but oh well! I won't miss out an opportunity to keep all these-"**

"Now hold your horses."

" **-Ah, fuck."**

"I said you can keep **this** payment. You still owe me for the last two jobs. However, rejoice, for I won't ask you to pay me with money this time."

" **Huh? What do you mean?"**

"You'll see. I'll call you and let you know. Until then."

 ***click***

With that, Shin ended the call before Azazel could respond.

"..."

He then sat in silence for a while, contemplating things.

' _So Asia was branded a heretic, huh? Hmm, when I think about it, it's to be expected. After all, power that can heal devils, angels and fallen angels is against the rules. I guess they had no choice, in order to keep the balance...'_

But while he thought that, his hand was still clenched tightly into a fist, and his face had a scowl on it.

' _But that still doesn't mean they have the right to just kick someone out and brand them a heretic! It looks like I'll have to pay them a little visit and personally tell them that...'_

With that, Shin stood back up and left the living room, returning to his room before Jeanne noticed he wasn't in bed anymore.

* * *

"Alright Ise, it looks like you just got another contract tonight."

"O-Oh, I do?"

The next day, Shin spent his afternoon with the Occult Research Club.

He was currently the only human in the room, as Jeanne was helping Murayama and Katase practice in the Kendo Club dojo.

But when Rias told Issei he had a contract, something in him seemingly activated. A gut feeling of sorts, that let him know something wasn't completely right tonight.

' _Something in the night air...Something's gonna happen.'_

Thinking that, he placed his cup down and stood up, getting the attention of the devils present.

"Rias, you know anything about the contractor?"

"U-Uh, it's a middle-aged male, living with his family. But, why do you want to know?"

Rias was confused, to say the least.

After all, Shin refused to go with Issei on any contracts ever since the ravenette's first encounter with Morisawa, so it was curious that he wanted to know about this particular client, completely out of the blue.

However, for Shin, it wasn't out of the blue.

' _I know I sensed Stray Exorcists hidden in that church yesterday. Meaning that lone devils are at risk of getting attacked. Rias and co. should have no problem dealing with that, but Issei is a different story.'_

"I'll be coming with you tonight, Hyoudou."

"E-Eh?! The hell, you are! This is my first real contract and I'm not letting you scare the client off! Go with Kiba or something!"

Shin's statement was surprising, and Issei was definitely not on board.

"Cry me a river, Hyoudou. I'm coming and that's that. Unless you plan on personally changing my mind, of course?"

"-Gh…!"

Naturally, Issei couldn't actually do anything to change Shin's mind. He knew full well he was too weak to challenge Shin. For now at least.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Besides, I'm only going with you to your clients house. Knowing you and your luck, I don't want to step inside the house of whatever creep you've managed to get summoned by this time. I'll be on my way if that's the case."

"Hey, I don't get summoned by creeps!"

"Mil-tan?"

"...Okay, that was a special case."

"Oh, 'special' alright. And fucking weird. Now stop babbling and go get your bike. You know you can't keep the client waiting."

"Grr...Dammit, why does he get to command me around Buchou?!"

Issei turned to his King, who had a fairly confused expression on her face. With a sweatdrop, she shrugged her shoulders.

"I mean...I can't see the harm in it. Besides, since you can't teleport yet, it's fine to have someone with you so late at night, Ise. You saw last night what a Stray is like. What are you going to do if you run into one that we weren't aware of?"

"Buchou is right, Ise-kun. Shin-kun is only looking out for you~"

"I agree. Ise-senpai, you need to stop being, antagonistic toward Shin-senpai."

Akeno and Koneko also spoke their minds on the matter, causing Issei to grit his teeth.

' _Dammit, of course they'd take Kurokawa's side! Damn you Kurokawa, you've turned my own peers against me!'_

Issei then looked at Kiba, hoping at least he would say something in Issei's defense.

However, the young man just smiled his usual smile and shrugged his shoulders, causing Issei to clench his fist and look at Yuuto with blazing eyes.

"Well, there you have it Ise. Shin-kun will be coming with you tonight. That's just how it is."

Issei cried a bit, hearing what Rias said.

The redhead then produced a little note which she extended toward Issei.

"Here's the client's address Ise. Now hurry along. Shin-kun is right, you can't keep the client waiting!"

"Y-Yes, Buchouuu!"

With tears still leaking from his eyes, Issei grabbed the piece of paper and ran out of the room.

Shin looked on as that happened, before he glanced back at Rias. Their eyes met, and the redhead spoke.

"I take it you know something I don't?"

"Technically. Right now, it's just a feeling I'm getting. That's why I said I'm going with him to the client's house. If everything is fine, then I'll fuck off. If not...well, you can guess what happens then."

"You're right, I can. Then, take this with you."

Rias grabbed a piece of paper from her desk, and threw it at Shin, who caught it and saw that it was one of the Gremory pamphlets.

"If something does go wrong, summon me."

"Hmm. Fine. Let's just hope we won't need this."

"Right. Now hurry along, Shin-kun. Ise may very well just leave you~"

"Like hell he does!"

With that statement, Shin stuffed Rias' pamphlet in his pocket, and hurried over to the open window.

From there, he jumped down and Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Kiba could hear a collision, followed by Issei and Shin arguing, which made Rias shake her head with an amused smile on her face.

"It's never going to be boring with those two around, huh?"

* * *

 ***screech***

"Alright, we're here. Get off."

A few minutes of pedaling later, the two teens arrived in front of the client's house.

Of course, Issei immediately told Shin to get off his bike, as soon as it came to a halt. And the ravenette did just that, taking a moment to glance around the area while Issei propped his bike up.

"By the way. You said you only wanted to come with me up to the client's house, but how do you plan to get back Kurokawa?"

"I can just teleport back Hyoudou."

"Then why didn't you just teleport here, instead of having me carry you on my bike!?"

 ***sigh***

Shin released a loud sigh, which made Issei sweatdrop.

"Hyoudou, you need to know where the fuck you're teleporting to, before you can actually teleport. Honestly, this is just common sense."

"O-Oh.."

Issei had the decency to look sheepish after what Shin said.

"Anyway, let's go Hyoudou."

With that, Shin began walking toward the house, followed closely by Issei.

Once they were in front of the door, Issei noticed something peculiar.

"The door...It's open."

Looking down, Shin saw that the door was indeed left slightly ajar, which made his eyes narrow slightly.

"Hyoudou, stay close to me."

 ***open***

Shin slowly pushed the door open, and stepped inside the hallway.

It was dark. No lights were turned on, however a dim light came from the doorway at the end of the hall.

"H-Hello? I'm a devil from the house of Gremory...I-Is the client here…?"

Issei was clearly on edge. Even though he couldn't tell as clearly as Shin, his instincts told him that something was off.

And the silence that followed Issei's call only strengthened the theory.

"No answer, huh?"

Shin started walking toward the light at the end of the hall slowly, but calmly. Well, that's what it looked like to Issei, however the ravenette was actually on his toes. Since he had been in countless such situations in the past, he knew to always stay sharp when something seemed off.

"H-Hey, don't leave me behind, Kurokawa!"

Issei instinctively whisper-yelled, seeing the whole atmosphere around them asked for silence, before he quickly followed after Shin.

Together, the two boys stepped inside a dimly lit living room.

* * *

From what Issei could see, it was a regular living room. It had a TV, sofa and chairs, a small coffee table and other normal stuff one could find in a living room.

However, as Issei moved his sight's upward, he came across a sight he wouldn't forget.

[-!]

On the wall, was a body.

The body was nailed to the wall, as if it was crucified, and upside down. It belonged to a male, Shin assuming it was the one who summoned Issei tonight, and his body was cut viciously. Squinting his eyes, Shin could even see there was something disgusting coming out of the poor man's wounds.

 ***Bleeghh***

Naturally, Issei was not expecting to see such a horrible sight, and had to turn around to empty the content of his stomach.

Shin glanced back at the teen who was retching with sympathy, before he looked back in front of them with narrowed eyes. And glare that was directed toward the couch that was in the middle of the room.

Once his stomach was empty, Issei turned back to see some writing on the wall next to the body.

"*cough*...W-What the hell is this…?"

"'Punishment for those who did bad deeds!'. That's what it says..."

Shin answered Issei's question, before another voice rang out in the room.

"Yes yes, that's right! That's correct! Though I just borrowed the sentence from someone important."

"-!..That voice!"

Hearing the voice of a young man, Shin opened his eyes wide in surprise.

From the shadows, a man looking to be in his teens with white hair steps out.

He was a foreigner wearing a priest attire, with a sword handle strapped to his hip.

Once he stepped out, his eyes landed on Issei and Shin and he showed an evil smile.

"Well well! If it isn't a shitty Devil-kun! I've been waiting for you to show up, y'know? It's not nice to keep your date waiting, y'know? And who's this, huh? You brought a friend-"

He said that to Issei, but when his sight's landed on Shin's scowling face, his eyes opened wide with glee and his face lit up with happiness.

"Ah! What a thing! I didn't see you at first because you're wearing all that black clothing, but now I know it's you! I can't ever forget those eyes! Oh, mhh mhh! Yes yes, those eyes that burn with such hatred! That's really you isn't it? It's really you right, Sensei?"

"Freed Zelzan..."

Although the priest named Freed spoke with glee, Shin's voice carried over nothing but disdain for the man.

"Oh, yes! You do remember me after all these years! I really missed you Sensei. You know that? I missed so much, I though I'd cry! Yes, I almost cried when news got around that you left. Oh, I was heartbroken. Well, what do you think of my display Sensei? Are you proud? Are you proud that I cut up this piece of scum here? I discovered he was summoning devil scum, so I couldn't let him go you know? I had to cut him up."

"K-Kurokawa, why does that guy keep calling you 'Sensei'?"

Issei stood up and questioned with an uncertain voice, eyeing the priest cautiously. Rias and Shin's words from the day before rang in his mind, making him be on guard.

"You remember how I was an Exorcist right? Well, at the time, I was higher ranked than him, making me his superior. But I don't actually know why he calls me his Sensei, since we've never actually met. I've only heard of him from some of the higher ups of the church. He was known as a problematic kid."

"Your words wound me, Sensei. Yes, it was only for a brief moment, but we have met before. You only walked by, but it was enough to captivate my heart! Your reputation, of how mercilessly you cut down devil scum really resonated with me you know? It made me all fuzzy inside~"

Freed sang, hugging his own body and wiggling around. Seeing this, both Shin and Issei sweatdropped.

"I see why he was called a problematic kid, Kurokawa. This guy is whacked out of his mind!"

"Haah? What the hell did you say you shitty devil?! I find it repulsive that scum like you call me a whack job you know? Yes, devil scum should just shut up and get cut by me! Doesn't that sound nice? It does to me!"

Hearing Issei's remark, Freed showed an angry expression. However it slowly morphed into gleeful craze with every word he said. And then he grabbed the hilt that was strapped to his hip and started waving it around.

"Yes yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea! So will you let me cut you, devil-kun? I promise it'll only hurt for a bit, but then it will feel really good. So be a nice devil-kun and let me slash at you repeatedly while I sing happily~. It's my duty as a priest to cut down devils scum, after all. Did you know that? Did you know that it was your destiny ever since you turned into a shitty devil to get cut up by this priest boy?"

"Priest my ass! You're nothing but a murder! You killed an innocent human!"

"Innocent? Do you even hear yourself? You obviously can't, because this piece of shit right here wasn't innocent. No, he wasn't even human anymore. Did you know? You probably didn't right? When a human stoops so low as to summon a shitty devil scum, they become scum as well! And scum has to be cut by me. Yes, that's how it goes."

Then Freed clicked a button on his sword, which caused a bright light to erupt from the handle and take the form of a blade.

"But why do I even bother explaining all of this? You're going to get cut anyway, so why bother? Yes, this blade right here is going to kill you devil-kun. Doesn't that sound awesome? By the way, don't bother to answer, since you're going to die now!"

After he said that, Freed moved from his spot and lunged at Issei, raising his sword with a maniacal expression on his face. Issei saw this and panicked, raising his hands to block the priest.

 **-CLANG**

"You're forgetting I'm also here Freed!"

Faster than either Freed or Issei could see, Shin summoned his Excalibur Galatine and blocked Freed's slash, the two blades releasing some sparks as they clashed.

"Eh?! Sensei?! What are you doing?! You're defending devil scum! That's a no-no, didn't you know?! You can't be doing that! Devils like him need to be cut down like the trash they are! You won't be going to heaven if you defend devils, you know?"

"Neither are you, you absolute nut-case!"

 **-slash!**

"Shit-!"

Shin pressed against Freed's blade and easily pushed it aside, leaving the boy open for Shin to slash with his sword. However, Freed managed to jump back just in time to avoid getting cut.

Landing a little distance back, the priest clicked his tongue and showed a dissatisfied face.

"You're really going to protect that piece of shit?! Have the devils brainwashed you Sensei? That has to be it, right? You're not in your right state of mind, which is why you're defending that devil scum. Yes, I understand now. Don't worry Sensei, I'll break the devils spell that they have on you by shooting that devils brains out!"

As he declared that, Freed pulled out a silver gun from underneath his coat and pointed it at Issei.

"Don't even think about it!"

 **-slash!**

Of course, Shin stepped in and swung his sword wide, sending a wave of holy energy heading toward Freed, who had to move to the side.

And as soon as he did, Shin appeared in front of the boy with Galatine raised up. He then brought the sword down on Freed's head, forcing him to raise both his sword and his gun, in order to block the attack.

 ***crackk***

However, even though he blocked Shin's swing, the sheer force behind it pressed hard on Freed's body. So hard in fact, that the wooden floor underneath his feet cracked.

"Gh-! You're definitely as strong as the said, Sensei! You're an absolute monster!"

"The only monster here is you, Freed!"

"Why thank you for the compliment!"

Shin pressed harder against Freed, which caused his knees to begin to bend and buckle under the pressure.

The ravenette then glanced back at Issei, who was standing frozen in place.

"Hyoudou, I'll deal with this guy! You go and head straight back to Rias, got it? I'll meet you at the ORC once I'm done!"

"A-Ah, right! I'll leave it to you! Don't die Kurokawa!"

Issei nodded his head and, although a little shaky, managed to turn back and ran out of the room.

"Not so fast, scum!"

 **bang-!**

"Gaah!"

"Issei!"

Although Shin's head was only turned for a second, Freed took the opening that the ravenette left by clashing swords with him, and shot two rounds from his gun, which managed to hit Issei in both legs.

The brunette then fell to the ground, clutching his wounds.

"Damn you Freed!"

 **BANG**

"-Gwaah!"

 ***crash***

Shin turned to face Freed with a scowl, and with a swift twist of his sword, broke through Freed's guard and opened his torso for attack. Which he delivered, in the form of a powerful kick to the priests chest, causing him to spit some blood and crash into a wall.

With Freed out of commission for the moment, Shin turned his attention back to Issei, going over to the boys side and helping him up.

"T-Thanks Kurokawa. Damn, these bullets hurt like hell-!"

"Naturally. Though I'm impressed you're still conscious. Most new devils would probably faint from such wounds."

"H-Heh...Then I guess I'm tougher than most, huh?"

Shin showed a small smile, as Issei fought through the pain of getting shot with light bullets and showed the ravenette a thumbs up.

But as that was happening, yet another voice came in the room.

"F-Father Freed, what's with the commotion- A-Ah!"

* * *

[A-Asia?!]

From another room, the blonde Sister appeared, shrieking in surprise at seeing what was happening. And granted, Shin and Issei were also shocked to see her here.

"N-Nooooooo!"

However, before Asia could ask the boys what was going on, her sight's landed on Freed's disgusting handy work, which caused Asia to scream in terror.

"Ah, to regain consciousness to such a wonderful scream! Thank you for the wonderful wake-up call, Asia-chan~ Truly, my ears were longing for that."

Following Asia's scream, Freed also came to and slowly got back up, dusting himself off, but not before he coughed up a bit more blood.

' _Dammit, now Asia's here too...Shit! Again, I have both Issei and Asia here. I can't risk it. Gotta call her...'_

Getting Issei out of here was no problem for Shin, however now that Asia was also present, the situation had changed.

Shin figured Freed couldn't have been an active Exorcist employed by the church, as he was definitively mad, so the ravenette put him as one of the many Stray Exorcists he sensed in the church the other day. That meant, that if he contacted his friends, Shin would be outnumbered and at a disadvantage, because he had to protect Issei.

And he certainly wouldn't let Asia fall back into the hands of the fallen angels. Not when she was right in front of him.

So Shin subtly put a hand in his pocket, grasping the pamphlet Rias had given him and imbuing it with some energy, activating it.

"Say, this is your first time seeing a corpse like this, right Asia? Then take a good look, because this is what happens to humans who summon shitty devils!"

"N-No...that's not right..."

"Nonono Asia. Summoning devils like that one over there, isn't right! This is punishment for such acts!"

Freed then pointed with his gun at Issei, causing Asia's eye to widen with shock.

"I-Ise-san is...a devil?"

"Yes, he's a devil! A shitty devil! But wait, you already know him? Have you two already met before? This is a surprise. Sensei, isn't this surprising? Is this the forbidden love between a devil and a Sister from the church? Are you serious?!"

Hearing Freed's words, Asia grew more shocked, while Issei looked down on the ground.

The brunette didn't want Asia to know that he was a devil, and now this is how she found out.

"Well, anyway. I don't really care, since I'm going to kill that shitty devil one way or another. Hear that Sensei? You're protecting him now, but I'll still kill him, even if I have to stab or shoot through you!"

Hearing this, Issei took a step back while Shin raised his sword again and got into a stance.

However, there was no need for it.

"No, Father Freed!"

[-!]

Shockingly, Asia quickly stepped forward and got between Freed and the two students, standing with her arms spread wide.

"EEHH?! Are you serious right now?! You're going to defend that shitty devil too?! Are you screwed in the head?! He's the enemy!"

"T-This is wrong! Even with that poor man...E-Even if he contracted a devil, he was still innocent a-and you killed him! And these two...Shin-san is a good person, that's protecting his friend! And even Ise-san...Even if he's a devil, he's a good person too! G-God won't forgive such acts!"

"Asia..."

Issei was shocked to see Asia stand up to Freed for him. He was honestly a little shocked that even Shin had protected him from Freed, but he truly did not expect Asia to step in for as well.

' _Asia...Always helping those in need. Even if that's protecting a devil...Truly, you have a heart of gold.'_

Shin allowed a soft smile to appear, seeing Asia's action.

However, Freed wasn't on the same boat as the other two boys.

"Grr, stop talking shit bitch! That piece of trash is a shitty devil, so get it through your thick skull!"

 **-bang!**

"Kyyaah!"

[Asia!]

Freed was annoyed by Asia, and smacked her with the side of his gun, sending her to the ground with a large bruise on her face.

"Freed, you bastard!"

 ***fwoosh***

Enraged, Shin lunged at Freed at blinding speeds and swung for at the priest in an upward slash, causing his eyes to open wide.

"-crap!"

 ***slash* *spurt***

The white haired priest tried to block the swing, however it was too powerful and cut right through Freed's light sword, slicing him from his hip to his shoulder, causing blood to fly in the air.

Shin then rotated his body, and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the side of Freed's head, sending flying right through a wall and into a room in the back.

* * *

He then turned his attention to Asia, seeing that Issei managed to make his way over to her and was helping the blonde up.

"Are you okay Asia?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine. It's only a bruise. I can heal it later. B-But, Ise-san, your legs!"

"Ah, yeah. That Freed bastard managed to get me."

"T-Then, I'll heal you!"

Asia then placed her hands on Issei's wounds and glowed with the same soft green glow as before, as Issei's wounds slowly began closing up.

 **-glow**

"It looks like your feeling was right, Shin-kun."

At that exact moment, a familiar magic circle appeared in the room, glowing brightly before Rias and her peerage stood in the room.

Seeing his friends, Issei opened his eyes wide.

"B-Buchou? A-And everyone too!"

"Shin-san had one of Buchou's flyers, and used it to let us know you were in trouble. So we came to help out, Ise-kun."

"Even though you're, perverted, you're still one of us, Ise-senpai."

Hearing Yuuto and Koneko say such words, brought a few tears to Issei's eyes.

Rias glanced down at Issei and allowed a sad smile to appear on her face, as she saw the boy's wounds that were still not completely healed.

"I'm sorry Ise. I never would have anticipated that something would've happened to the client. There was a barrier in place up until now, so we didn't feel anything off. If it wasn't for Shin-kun having a bad feeling and coming with you, we may have arrived too late. But it looks like you still got wounded."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Freed managed to shoot him when I wasn't looking."

Shin walked forward and apologized, as Rias gave a short nod.

The redhead then turned her sights back on her servant, seeing that Asia had just finished healing his wound.

"You must be the Sister Ise talked about."

"Y-Yes! My name is Asia Argento..."

"Asia Argento-san, huh? It's nice to meet you then, Argento-san. My name is Rias Gremory." Rias bowed her head slightly, which was reciprocated by Asia. The redhead then noticed that Issei's wounds were gone, and smiled at the blonde nun. "Looks live you healed my servants wounds. Thank you for that."

"Oh, i-it's nothing, really...Ise-san helped me before, so it's only fair that I help him out as well."

Asia showed a small smiled, which made everyone else smile lightly as well.

"Gah...god DAMMIT- this hurts!"

"Tch, you just don't know when to give up, do you?!"

The moment was ruined when Freed's voice resounded through the room again, as the young man himself limped through the hole he had made in the wall, bleeding heavily all the while.

Seeing this everyone bar Asia scowled, and readied themselves for another potential fight.

Shin and Yuuto raised their blades, Koneko got into a fighting stance and Akeno allowed small sparks of electricity to dance around her fingers.

"My, what looks I'm receiving right now~ So intense...and passionate! Yes, this is what is called 'killer intent' isn't it?!"

"So you're the one who managed to wound my cute servant?"

Rias said that calmly, however the undertone of her voice made it clear she was quite pissed.

"Yes yes, I'm the one who shot that devil scum. Sensei got careless and I shot him with my blessed gun! And even though -*cough*-, I can't cut you shitty devils up for the moment, my superiors are on their way, and they will mess you up! Yes, they will make you all regret being born! Ahahaha- *cough* *hack*-!"

[-!]

Everyone else bar Shin opened their eyes in surprise, as Freed laughed loudly.

"Buchou, he's right. There are a few fallen angels getting close. At this rate, we'll be the ones at a disadvantage."

"So that's how it is then? Alright then. Akeno, prepare for teleportation. Since Ise is alright, we'll retreat to headquarters"

"Huh? We're retreating?"

Rias confirmed Issei's question with a single nod of her head.

"Yes Ise. We can't risk fighting the fallen angels now. We're going back."

Once Rias says that, Akeno activates a magic circle under their feet, while Issei turns to look at Asia.

"Buchou! We have to take Asia with us!"

"Sorry Ise, but this teleportation circle can only teleport members of my house. It won't work with humans."

"N-No way!"

Issei then turns to Shin with a pleading look.

"Kurokawa, you said you could teleport from here to the club right?! Take Asia with you!"

Shin remained silent for a moment, throwing a quick glance at Freed, who was struggling to stay upright.

He then looked back at Issei and placed a hand on Asia's shoulder.

"Don't worry Hyoudou. Taking Asia away from these creeps was my plan from the beginning. I'll see you back at the club shortly.

Hearing this, Issei allowed a smile to appear on his face, before the magic circle under him glowed brightly and teleported him and his fellow devils back to the clubroom back at Kuoh Academy.

* * *

"Kh-! Shitty devils! You should be glad Sensei was here, else I would've cut you all down while singing my song!"

Just before the devils disappeared completely, Freed yelled that out. And once they were gone, he cursed and coughed some more blood.

Hearing this, Shin released an exasperated sigh, and walked over to the large sofa that was in the middle of the room.

"I'm getting really tired of listening to you, so how about to take a seat and go the fuck to sleep?!"

 **-kick!**

"...Oh fuck-"

 ***CRASSHH***

Shin then swung his foot backward, before slamming it into the side of the couch with all his might, sending the cough sailing through the air and heading straight for Freed, who due to his injuries couldn't do anything and received the full force of the attack. Truly, any normal person should be as good as dead after having a couch slammed into them at full force.

"Alright, now that he is finally taken care of, let's also get moving, what do you say Asia?"

"Y-Yes! Let's go and meet up with Ise-san and everyone else!"

Shin smiled lightly, hearing Asia mention Issei's name first and foremost. Obviously she didn't know everyone else yet, but she did know Rias' name, so Shin saw a little something start to bloom.

' _Hmm. Looks like that's Issei's dragon aspect starting to come into effect. Only met the girl yesterday, and she's already like this. Hehe...I think it may not even be a stretch to say that his aspect is almost as strong as mine.'_

 **-glow**

"Alright Asia, just grab a hold of me and we'll be out of here in a jiffy."

"Okay, Shin-san!"

With Shin's light blue magic circle lighting up under their feet, Asia grabbed a hold of Shin's sleeve, before the circle glowed brightly and the two were teleported back to the clubroom as well.

Just in time, as the fallen angels appeared a mere minute later, to discover the mess of a room that was left behind.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap!**

 **A few things happened this chapter~**

 **Firstly, we got to see Shin and Asia's meeting! From the looks of things, the two go way back. However, it seems that they were merely acquaintances, before Shin left the church and Asia was branded a heretic.**

 **However, Shin does seem to care about the girl quite a bit. And he attributes that to Asia's secret and yet-to-be discovered affinity for taming dragon!**

 **But, how did Shin realize that, when he's human…**

 **We also got to see Shin give Issei a more, in-depth analysis of the Exorcists employed by the church than in canon, even showing the brunette a Holy Sword up close and personal.**

 **And he even accidentally told Rias of the churches secret ace.**

 **That won't play that big of a role yet, as Dulio won't show up for quite a while to come.**

 **And Serafall made a small cameo this chapter! A nice little comedic relief, however there's also a little something hidden in that interaction…**

 **But now Azazel has been revealed to be the one who contracted Shin at the end of chapter 3! And from the phone call, Shin also seems to be a little acquainted with Vali too!**

 **That challenge is something that will show up in a future chapter. Still not quite sure which one, but I think it will be between Volume 1 and 2, when some other 'filler-y' chapters need to happen.**

 **Backstories, bonding moments, fights, all of these things are going to take place in a batch of chapters between Volumes 1 and 2.**

 **But for now, we still have the whole fallen angels things to worry about!**

 **And things are going to happen a little differently here, as Shin took it upon himself to take Asia back from the fallen angels.**

 **Please, do feel free to speculate in the reviews how you think the final battle is going to go down. I already have a few ideas, but who knows, one of your ideas may be better than what I have planned, so I may end up building the battle around that~**

 **So yeah! Now we move on to the harems~**

 **Shin's Harem: Serafall, Yasaka, Jeanne, Akeno, Kuroka, Gabriel, Tiamat, Grayfia, Roygun, Rossweisse, Koneko, Irina, Sona, Ophis, Kunou, Ravel, WIP.**

 **Issei's Harem. Rias, Asia, Xenovia, LeFay, WIP.**

 **Yeah, as it stands, only three more girls went to Shin's harem.**

 **And to that, there's something that's been on my mind. Please read this carefully, as it may become confusing.**

 **As some of you may know, this story originally had a Chapter 0, which was basically just a foreword from me to the new readers. And it also *used* to have a chapter 7, which was just me announcing the first poll for harem members.**

 **Now. That means, that the chapters were a little messed up, meaning what was actually chapter 4 for example, was displayed as chapter 5.**

 **And this is what has me thinking.**

 **Before the actual sixth chapter of this story was published, aka the last chapter, I removed the foreword and poll announcement from the story, meaning the story was displayed with less chapters.**

 **I *think* that may have confused some of you, because after the last chapter was posted, only half of the people that read chapter 5, actually read chapter 6.**

 **I watched the statistics, and saw a huge increase in people reading chapter 1 and 5, but it was as if chapter 6 was ignored. And that made me think that, because I deleted two chapters, people didn't realize that chapter 6 was ACTUALLY a new chapter to the story.**

 **Or people just dropped the story, that's also a possibility, y'know. But I hope that's not the case…**

 **But yeah, if people really did get confused by me deleting the foreword and poll announcement, then please go back and read chapter 6.**

 **Though if you're reading this, then you probably noticed that there's a huge gap between what chapter 5 ended on and what this chapter started with.**

 **But yeah, that's just something that's been on my mind.**

 **Even with the recent polls, the new harem members and what happens to Millicas in the story, there was a pretty big setback.**

 **The very first harem poll had like 43 individual voters by day 3, whereas the last poll had half that amount in a week.**

 **And because of my 'suspicion', I'll leave the Millicas poll up for another week after this chapter is published. No new harem poll, as I've decided to make a new poll for that once Shin actually meets some new girls.**

 **So yeah, go and vote for the Millicas poll, as it's quite important for the story, since Grayfia is Shin's harem and all of that.**

 **And before people complain about it in the reviews, know that Grayfia won herself a spot in the harem during the first poll by a HUGE margin. Half of the people who voted, voted for her. So yeah.**

 **And that was about it for my ramblings~**

 **I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. It was a little different than the other ones as this is when stuff starts getting serious. So tell me what you thought of it in the reviews, tell me if there's anything worth improving and such~**

 **So, with all of that said, I'll see you all next chapter~ ...which may be in two weeks or may take longer. I've been quite lucky with free time for the past few weeks, which is why I was able to write these chapter every two weeks.**

 **But yeah, until next chapter~**

 **Seeya~**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Showdown!

* * *

"Damn, where's Kurokawa with Asia…?"

"Ise, you need to calm down. We left them not even two minutes ago."

"I know, but those minutes feel like hours!"

Inside the clubroom, Issei was pacing back and forth, his devil peers and Jeanne watching him as he did.

As Rias mentioned, it had barely been one minute since she and her peerage appeared in the ORC clubroom, where Jeanne was quietly checking her social media.

She wanted to go help out Shin and Issei, however Akeno needed time to prepare a magic circle that would let her teleport too, and time was unfortunately of the essence, to their knowledge.

Thus, the blonde simply remained seated on the couch alone in the clubroom, until everyone returned.

And now it was only a matter of time until Shin and Asia showed up.

 ***glow***

And right on cue, the octagonal blue circle lit up in the room, gaining everyone's attention.

"Sorry for the slight tardiness, Freed had a little bit of kick left in him, so I made him take a seat for a while."

"You said the exact same thing when you kicked that couch at that one guy. So did you kick a couch at someone again?"

"Yup. It was in the middle of the room, calling to me. What you gonna do?"

Arriving with slight banter between himself and Jeanne, Shin stepped out of the magic circle with Asia in tow, who was glancing at the room with uncertainty. However, her face displayed relief when she saw Issei's face.

"Issei-san!"

"Asia!"

As if on instinct, Issei immediately went over to Asia to make sure she was fine, even though it still hadn't been even five minutes since he saw her last. Seeing this, Shin chuckled lightly.

"Geez Hyoudou, it hasn't even been five minutes. You look like a clingy boyfriend."

Hearing the word 'boyfriend', Asia and Issei promptly blushed, more so in the case of Asia than Issei's.

"B-B-B-Boyfriend...A-Auuu.."

"S-Stop saying embarrassing stuff Kurokawa!"

Issei showed his fist at the snickering Shin, while Asia was a blushing mess, poking her fingers together while steam was seemingly rising from her face.

"Shin-kun."

However, the little moment was put on hold when Rias called out to Shin, causing the teen to glance back at her.

"Shin-kun, while I'm happy you did Ise a favor and rescued the girl, I needn't tell you why I don't want to have her here, right?"

"I can guess."

"That's good. So, what do you plan to do? I doubt the Fallen Angels will stay quiet."

Shin crossed his arms and released a sigh.

"Course they won't. But they won't attack right away. So we can relax a little bit."

After saying that, Shin walked over and took his spot on the couch, twisting his body around so he was sort of upside down.

Seeing this, everyone bar Jeanne raised an eyebrow.

"Shin-kun, why are you sitting upside down?" Akeno voiced the question everyone else had in mind.

"Helps me think."

"Think of what, Shin-san?"

Asia tilted her head curiously, seeing Shin put on a pensive face, and grasp his chin. He even began humming, making everyone else all the more curious.

"...Where I could get a smoothie at this hour."

 ***-fault***

Everyone face faulted upon hearing Shin's simplistic and completely unrelated-to-the-matter-at-hand answer.

"I'd be surprised, only I'm not...", saying that with a blank expression on his face, Issei shook his head disapprovingly.

"Leave it to Shi-chan to think about smoothies in such critical situations~"

"...I, also want a smoothie..."

Jeanne wasn't fazed by the response, and simply gave Shin a thumbs up coupled with her usual beaming smile, while Koneko mumbled to herself while looking deep in thought.

However, Shin heard her and glanced up.

"I think that fast food restaurant down the street is open 24/7. I don't mind if you wanna tag along, squirt."

"..." Koneko seemed to think for a moment, before she turned back to Shin and answered in her usual monotone voice. "Alright. I'll go with you, Shin-senpai. But, don't call me 'squirt' again."

"I'm your senpai, so I get to call you whatever I want. And for now, it'll remain 'squirt'."

Koneko's threat didn't real cross over very well, partly due to the lack of emotions in her tone, so Shin flat out ignored it and retorted in his usual condescending style.

Naturally, this made Koneko's eyebrows furrow with discontent.

"...For that, you will pay for my smoothie."

"Oh really? And how are you gonna make me?"

 ***lift***

"Huh? Oh shit-!"

 ***CRASH***

Shin barely had time to dodge the Victorian era nightstand that was flung straight at him, courtesy of Koneko. The item then proceeded to shatter into a mess of splinters flying across the room, making everyone open their eyes in surprise, and do their best to dodge.

Looking back with wide eyes, Shin saw Koneko staring back at him with cold eyes.

"...It's two smoothies now."

"You can keep throwing couches until you get diabetes for all I care, I'm not buying you shit! I got a budget too y'know?!"

"You, are in an enclosed room. It's only a matter of time, before you taste this Victorian history."

Lifting a chair this time, Koneko stared Shin dead in the eyes, the two having a silent stare-down to see who would give up first. Which, in all honestly, would end in Koneko's favor regardless, as either Shin gave up and bought her two smoothies, or she'd throw things at him until she didn't miss anymore.

"Shin-kun, remember the tea set? It's the same with that chair. Please, just buy her the smoothies."

Amidst the intense atmosphere, Rias cleared her throat and pleaded with Shin.

"…!"

However, the boy simply looked at her with an intense gaze for a brief second, before returning to his showdown with Koneko.

The gesture left the devils and Asia looking at each other with questioning gazes. That was, until Jeanne raised her hand to get their attention.

"Ahem. I can translate~" with a smile, she cleared her throat and began speaking in a more deep and low voice, trying to imitate Shin. " **She's challenged me. I will not back down. If you want this to stop, make her back off. You're her King aren't you? Keep your servants in line!**...or something like that~"

"U-Uhh...how exactly can you tell?"

Rias was confused, which caused Jeanne to giggle slightly.

"Oh, I didn't tell you guys before, did I? You see, I'm actually the descendant of Joan of Arc. Y'know, the maiden of Orleans?"

"Wait, **the** Joan of Arc? You're her descendant?"

"Yup~ And you know how she supposedly had those little voices in her head, telling her things? Well, it's about the same with me. I can hear things others can't. In situation's like these, I can hear what people are thinking, even if they don't say it out loud. I can even understand animals~"

' _So that's how she does it, huh? Never thought about it before...'_ Shin glanced back at the blonde with slight amazement in his eyes.

However, that expression soon morphed into shock, as he noticed a certain revelation in Jeanne's statement.

' _Wait, if she can hear what others are thinking, then does that mean...she already knows…?'_

With a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, Shin looked at Jeanne nervously.

"..E-Ehehe..."

However in the silence that befell the room after what Jeanne said, the blonde herself released an awkward giggle.

"You all are thinking quite a bit right now...It's very loud, ehehe..." she revealed that while sweatdropping, causing everyone to tilt their heads to the side. "When I listen in, I can hear **everything**. That means that the more people are around me, the louder and more jumbled up all the thoughts become. That's why I often just tune the ability out. I only do it when I need to know something, and it's quiet enough for me to focus on it."

Hearing the explanation, everyone looked enlightened. Whereas Shin released a silent breath of relief, which went unnoticed.

' _So she's not always listening in. That's good...'_

"Well, that's certainly a handy ability to have Jeanne-chan. It's similar to our own 'Language'."

Rias looked interested in Jeanne ability, praising it slightly, causing the blonde to blush lightly. The redhead then noticed that Shin and Koneko resumed their staring contest, causing her to sigh.

"Does anyone know how much one of those smoothies cost?" she turned to her servant, who shrugged their shoulders.

"Sorry Buchou, I haven't been there yet, so I have no idea."

"Me neither. Though I can go with Shin-kun to find out, if you'd like?"

Yuuto gave an honest response, while Akeno obviously just wanted to tag along with Shin, but tried to disguise it. Rias knew this too, and shook her head with a sigh.

"Um, I've been there before." At that time, Issei raised his hand. "Me and my friends hung out there once. If I remember correctly, a smoothie costs about 230 yen?"

"I see. Thank you Ise~"

Issei blushed and scratched his cheek awkwardly at Rias' praise.

"..Muu.." Asia on the other hand, seemed subconsciously affected by this for some reason, and puffed her cheeks slightly.

Rias then grabbed her bag from behind her desk, rummaged around for a bit and pulled out some cash.

"Shin-kun, here."

She then proceeded to call out to the ravenette and throw the money at him, the boy catching it without even looking.

He then glanced at it, seeing it was enough to buy the two smoothies for Koneko, so he sighed and gave up, leaving Koneko smirking slightly at her victory.

"Fine. But just so you know, this is you buying her smoothies through me, got it? I hate being indebted to people, so I'm not accepting this as you lending me money."

"Yes, that's alright. The Gremory family is quite wealthy, so two smoothies isn't a problem for me. As long you get Koneko her smoothies, I couldn't care about the money. She doesn't let up when it comes to sweets. Sometimes I wonder if her Rook piece enhanced her stubbornness as well."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's go squirt, the sooner we're there, the sooner you can get your sugar-high or whatever."

Shin then stuffed the money Rias gave him in his pocket, and started heading toward the door, Koneko following behind him while frowning at being called a 'squirt' again.

But on the way out, Shin was heard mumbling something.

" _The Gremory family is quite wealthy, so some measly smoothies is no problem for me, nyehh...I could care less about the money, bleeh...Devils and they're gloating...Rich snobs..."_

 ***-open***

 ***-close***

With that, Shin was out of the door, leaving the room in silence.

.

.

"Kukuku...~"

"Ufufu.."

Bar Jeanne and Akeno's silent snickering, which was threatening to start within Yuuto as well, the young man having to turn his head to hide it.

"…."

On the other hand, Rias exhaled through her nose. Her eyebrow was twitching and while she had a small smile on her face, it was obvious that it was forced.

Issei and Asia just decided to take a step back and not get involved with whatever might happen.

 ***sigh***

"I guess I asked for that one..."

Shaking her head lightly, Rias released a sigh.

She then raised her hand, where a small magic circle appeared, before the remains of the stand destroyed by Koneko previously were enveloped by a red aura.

The pieces then floated up, and reformed into the Victorian era stand, shocking Issei and Asia.

"Eh? Buchou, did you just magically repair that nightstand?"

"Fufu, yes I did Ise. Devil can do these kind of things, you know?"

"B-But, then it wouldn't be a problem if Koneko-chan did destroy all the furniture, right? You could just fix it right back up."

"Yes, but one, it would take too long. Two, we would all eventually end up getting caught in their little bout, and three...I just don't like seeing my furniture get destroyed for something so silly."

"Ok...But why didn't you just fix the nightstand as soon as Koneko-chan broke it?"

"If Shin-kun knew we could easily repair anything he 'accidentally' broke, I have a feeling we'd end up fixing a whole lot of things."

"She's not wrong..."

Even Jeanne had to agree with Rias, causing the redhead to wink slily at Issei.

"As a devil, you need to be able to 'persuade' some people, to get what you want~"

"Eheh, I guess I have plenty to learn then, huh?"

Issei chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

After that, he and Asia sat themselves on the couch next to Jeanne, where Asia introduced herself to everyone, and told them a bit about herself and how she ended up in this situation.

* * *

 **DING**

 ***-open***

"Those things are almost half your size squirt. You'll seriously land yourself with diabetes."

"I, will be fine. Don't underestimate me, Shin-senpai."

Walking out of the fast food restaurant, smoothies in hand, Shin and Koneko stepped into the dimly lit streets of Kuoh.

While Shin was sipping from his drink normally, Koneko drank both of hers at the same time with the help of the straws that came with the drink. And Shin was watching her do this with a questioning gaze.

However, the short girl paid him no mind.

"Well, it's your health so I couldn't care less. Anyway, let's get back to the clubhouse before those crows catch wind of us being here and try to pay us a visit."

Shin released a breath, before the two went on the way back to the clubhouse.

The two walked in silence, before Koneko surprisingly spoke up.

"Let's, take a shortcut."

"Hm? Why's that?"

"I finished my smoothies."

"Wha- Already?!"

The ravenette looked down at the girl, seeing that both of her cups was indeed empty now, and she was staring blankly at them. She then looked up at him.

"I, have more sweets back at the club. I need them."

"..."

Shin could do nothing but sweatdrop at how monotonously she said that.

Then, he glanced around them, seeing there were quite a few back alleys around them, that they could take to get back to the ORC.

Taking a few moments to try and orient himself to see which way would be the fastest, he eventually turned to Koneko.

"Yeah, I still don't really know my way around. So, what way do you think is the fastest squirt?"

"...That way. Probably."

"Probably, huh..?"

Koneko took a moment to respond, and when she did, she pointed toward one of the darker alleys, and the way she phrased her sentence made Shin raise an eyebrow. But he shrugged, and gestured for the short girl to lead the way.

So she quickly threw her empty smoothie cups in a nearby trash can and began walking down the alley, with Shin following right behind her.

But as they walked further through the alleys, both of them could feel something strange in the air.

"Hey squirt, you're getting a sixth sense too?"

"Yes, I do. I can smell, something dangerous."

"Good, so I'm not the only one."

With that, Shin and Koneko stopped in their tracks, silently surveying the area.

* * *

"Well, well, well. What've we got 'ere? A cute lil' girlie and a handsome Bishounen, whose face I wanna punch. You two on a date or somethin'? Hah?"

And almost as soon as they did, the trouble they sensed showed it's face in the form of a group of delinquents, some smoking cigarettes, some carrying some form of weapon and all with a generally unpleasant face to look at.

"We're just passing through."

Although the leader of the delinquents tried to look intimidating, Shin answered simply with no sign of being even remotely worried about the situation. As for Koneko, she just wore her usual blank expression.

"Oh, just passin' through, eh? Well then, I guess there's no problem. Come on now, go ahead handsome, we'll give ya a pass."

The leader waved his hand and his goons surprisingly cleared a path, making Shin raise an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Alright then. Thanks for the pass, I guess. Come on Koneko-chan, let's get going."

Though a little surprised at not being called a 'squirt', Koneko didn't say anything and just stood by Shin's side as they walked by the lead delinquent.

 ***-grab***

However, Shin knew it wouldn't be this easy, and wasn't surprised when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey. Handsome, I said **you** could pass through. But I never said anythin' about the little laddie."

"And why should I leave her?"

Shin turned his head slightly and glared at the leader, who surprisingly was able to brush it off, and spoke undeterred.

"Because anyone who tries to pass through our territory needs to pay a fee pal. Even though I let you pass, you still need to pay me somehow."

"So money is not enough now?"

"I couldn't give a shit about money. I can just steal some money. But I am a man who lives by desire. And you know what I desire right now?"

It was obvious from the tone of his voice, but the way he was looking at Koneko confirmed what the guy was talking about. And Koneko promptly began to glare at the guy, while stepping behind Shin in an attempt to prevent the delinquent from continuing to look at her lecherously.

"Now now, laddie. No need to be shy. I promise we'll be gentle with you~"

"...Perverted acts are forbidden."

"Ahahah, I think I already like this one. What about you boys?"

The leader turned to his goons, who grinned perversely while looking at Koneko. Seeing this, he turned back to face Shin.

"Now then handsome. Last warning. Leave the place and be on your merry way, or we're gonna have a problem, got it? I haven't been able to relieve my urges in a while, so I'm not gonna pass this opportunity."

"Well then, I guess we're gonna have a problem. Because I made an unspoken promise to bring the girl back. Not that she couldn't deal with you chumps on her own, but as a man, my pride won't allow me to just turn and walk away."

Turning to stand face-to-face with the delinquent leader, Shin lightly pushed Koneko away, who understood the message and stepped away. Seeing this, the ravenette focused on the guy in front of him.

"Oho, so you're a brave handsome, huh? Either brave or stupid."

As the leader said that, he made a gesture with his hand, followed by his goons beginning to close in on Shin and Koneko.

Koneko saw this, and understood there was now no way of her and Shin leaving the area peacefully. So she raised her fists up and got into a stance, eyeing the goons with disdain.

Shin on the other hand, still seemed mostly unconcerned, which the leader noticed and smirked at.

"Heh. I'm startin' to think it's the latter. You got no clue what you're dealin' with kid. Well, lemme show you!"

 ***-click***

 **SHIING**

Swiftly, the leader reached behind him and brought out a fairly large switchblade, which he twirled around for a brief second, before shoving it toward Shin's mid section.

However, Shin dodged with no effort whatsoever, causing the man to try and stab at him again, only to miss once more.

"Tch. You're fast." the leader clicked his tongue and twirled the switchblade in his hand once more.

"No, you're just too slow. You'll never even come close to touching me, especially with **that**."

Shin didn't miss a step and gave his usual condescending retort, causing the leader to release a growl.

"So you think you're hot shit, huh? Well then how about this?!"

Shouting, the leader rushed Shin once more, rearing his arm, preparing to thrust his switchblade at Shin.

Naturally, Shin dodged the moment he saw the leaders arm move forward.

"Heh!"

"-!"

However, just as he dodged, he saw that the switchblade wasn't in the leader's hand anymore, causing him to look up and see it in the air in front of him.

With a smirk on his face, the delinquent quickly twirled around, grasping the blade with his other hand and quickly thrusted it toward Shin's chest, causing the boy's eyes to widen in surprise.

 ***-grab***

"H-Hah?!"

However, even though he technically had plenty of time to dodge again, Shin simply grabbed the guy's arm ad stopped his thrust in it's tracks, causing the leader to call out in shock.

"As I said, you'll never touch me with this."

 ***squeeze* *-crack!***

"Gaahh!"

As soon as he finished his sentence, Shin yanked the leader's hand up and applied pressure to his grip, causing a loud cracking noise to follow shortly after, before the leader cried out in pain and dropped the switchblade.

Shin then let go of his hand, before the man fell to his knees clutching his wrist in pain.

"Boss!"

"Bastard! You'll pay for that!"

Naturally, the guy's goons called out to their fallen leader.

Then, a guy with a thick metal chain in his hands stepped forward, scowling at Shin while beginning to twirl his weapon around.

"Kid, you should've walked away when you had the chance!"

"Just like you losers."

"Huh-"

 **POW-!**

"Gwaahh!"

Before the goon could swing his chain at Shin, a patch of white hair appeared before him, and before he could even register her, Koneko delivered a devastating punch to his guts, similar to the one she used on Issei and Shin a few days ago.

The goon then dropped unconscious from the pain, causing the rest of his pals to glare at Koneko now.

"You bitch! Hope you made peace with yourself because we're gonna show no more mercy now!"

One of the goons called out to Koneko, but she simply regained her stance and stared them all down with cold eyes.

"I'll show no mercy either."

That was her simple statement, before proceeding to beat the living daylights out of the goons, while Shin watched on from the sidelines, clearly entertained by the sight of grown men getting whooped by someone half their size. And a girl no less.

' _Heh. The humiliation of being beaten by a girl should prove quite devastating to these guys.'_

However, while Shin was busy laughing mentally at how the goons were getting owned, the leader at his feet slowly raised his face and scowled at the sight.

' _D-Damn bitch! Those are my men you're beatin' to a bloody pulp! Grr...don't think imma let you get away with this...'_

Thinking that, the delinquent slowly reached into his back pocket again, and pulled out a small hand gun.

Then, with hate in his eyes, he quickly raised his gun and pointed it at Koneko, who had her back turned.

"Take this bitch!"

"-! Bastard!"

 **BANG-!**

"-!"

Hearing a loud gunshot ring out from right behind her, Koneko instinctively looked back.

"Shin-senpai!"

Behind her, the girl saw that Shin had prevented the leader from shooting her in the back by grabbing the gun and pulling it to the side, where the bullet shot in the concrete. However, she saw that his hand was smoking, before she noticed the small bleeding hole that was now in it.

Shin didn't grab the gun properly, and ended up placing his hand right in front of the barrel, which resulted in him getting himself shot in the hand.

"Got ya!"

 ***-grab***

However, while she was distracted, a large goon managed to sneak up behind her and grabbed her, beginning to tighten his hold on her in an attempt to crush her.

But since Koneko was a Rook, it didn't bother her in the least. And she quickly managed to break the guy's hold on her, before lifting him up and throwing him against the rest of the goons, taking them all out in one fell swoop.

And while that was happening, Shin focused his sights back on the leader.

"Clever move. For a monkey that it."

 **CRACK-!**

"GYAAHH?!"

Glaring at the delinquent, Shin quickly grabbed his hand and with one twist, brought it all the way around his back, to the point where his elbow was touching his ear, which naturally caused a horrible crack to resound from his shoulder, before the leader howled in pain.

Grasping his broken arm, the man didn't even have time to see Shin's foot before it collided with his face, sending him flying in a couple of nearby dumpsters, causing trash to fly everywhere.

With all the delinquents taken care of, Shin walked over to Koneko, appearing not even bothered by his gun wound.

"You know, I think we should teleport outta here. Something we should've done from the very beginning, when I think of it."

"I agree. Let's get out of here."

Koneko nodded her head slightly.

But before they teleported away, Shin felt a tug on his shirt. Looking down, he saw Koneko looking at him with what seemed to be confusion.

"What's up?"

"Your wound. Why, did you try and save me? I am, a Rook. Normal bullets don't work on me."

Glancing at his bloody hand, Shin simply shrugged his shoulder.

"I dunno. I guess it was instinct. Couldn't let someone like you get hurt after all."

"-!" Koneko was slightly taken back by Shin's words.

"I wouldn't hear the end of it from Rias if you did get hurt..."

And the surprise was gone just as fast as it came, when Shin said he only tried to protect Koneko in fear of getting a lecture from Rias.

' _Sometimes I wonder who's worse...him or the pervert.'_

 ***-glow***

As Koneko thought that, Shin activated his blue magic circle, before it glowed brightly. But just before they were teleported, Koneko showed a tiny smile.

' _But maybe...this senpai is better to have around...'_

And with that final thought, the two teleported away from the alley and back to the ORC.

* * *

"..."

Almost as soon as the teleportation circle disappeared, a figure stepped out from between two buildings.

Their features were mostly obstructed by shadows, however it was clear they were a male with a tall build and wearing a black suit. And the one feature that was recognizable in the darkness, was a lone golden eye.

The man was silent as he surveyed the area, glancing over the unconscious delinquents left behind by Shin and Koneko. And seeing this, an almost soundless chuckle came from the man.

"So, the Emperor has awakened once more. It has been, a few centuries since I met the last reincarnation. But now...it's different. His power is different..."

And then, the man's visible eye widened slightly.

"No...The power isn't different. It's **complete**. Fufu...so the **True** Emperor awakened now. That's great. Wonderful even. My training...all these years...I can now put them to use. I've been waiting for this moment, Emperor."

The golden eye then closed, as the man slowly turned his body around.

"However, I can sense your power is nowhere near enough to give me a challenge...yet. Get stronger. Regain your former strength, the power that earned you the title of 'Dragon God of Destruction'. I shall be waiting and watching your progress until then."

"However...Your presence is leaking into the world. I shall wait, but others will come for you soon. I wish you the best of luck...True Dragon Emperor."

Muttering that last sentence, the man swiftly disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

 ***-glow***

Back in the clubroom, Shin's magic circle lit up. And soon after, himself and Koneko appeared in the room.

"Sup? We're back, what did we miss?"

As the circle disappeared, Koneko silently returned to her seat in the corner, where she pulled out a bag of sweet, while Shin leaned against the wall.

Then, Issei turned and answered the ravenette's question.

"Oh, Asia was just telling us about her past with the church, how she got exiled and ended up with the Fallen Angels. Those guys from the church are real bastards for branding her a heretic for an act of kindness!"

"Oh, Ise-san, you don't need to get angry. I healed a devil after all, so it was to be expected."

"Yeah, but you didn't know that was a devil! You shouldn't have been kicked out for helping someone in need!"

Issei was obviously angry at how Asia was kicked straight out of the church for trying to help, and his words made Asia feel a little warm in her chest.

However, Shin raised an eyebrow at what he heard.

"Wait a second, you healed a devil? That's why you got kicked out?"

"Y-Yes. I thought you knew about it, Shin-san."

"Yeah about that...See, I left the church years ago Asia. Apparently, right before you got kicked out as well."

At the revelation, Asia's eyes opened wide with shock.

"Y-You left the church? But...why?"

"A few...personal reasons. I'm certain you'll learn about it at some point but for now...let's just say I remembered what I was actually supposed to do. And I couldn't do it from within the church."

"Oh, I see..."

An awkward silence loomed in the room afterward, before Asia spoke back up.

"But what about the other two? Your teammates? What did they say?"

"...I wish I could say they were understanding...but I left without anyone knowing. So I have no idea."

"Do you think you'll meet them again?"

"Certainly."

' _After all, now that I know why Asia was exiled, I can pay the Vatican a little visit and beat some sense into those old farts! Highly doubt I won't run into them again...'_

With a small scowl on his face, Shin crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"-Ow! Son of a.."

However, it was just now that the pain from his wound made itself known, causing Shin to yelp out in pain slightly, alerting everyone.

"Shin-kun, your hand...What happened?"

Rias was the first to question the wound, causing Shin to sigh.

"For some reason, me and the squirt both forgot we could just teleport back here, so we decided to head back through some dark alleys and ended up running into some street toughs. Their leader managed to pull a sneaky one and tried to shoot her while she wasn't paying attention, but when I grabbed his gun I just ended up getting myself shot. Don't worry though, it'll heal soon enough."

"Oh no, I can't allow you to walk around with a wound like that! What if it gets infected? I'll heal it for you Shin-san."

Naturally, Asia wouldn't stand by while someone was injured, so she promptly stood up and walked over to Shin, gently grasping his hand before her Sacred Gear appeared on her fingers and the light green aura appeared around Shin's hand.

While Asia was busy healing his hand, Shin couldn't help but notice there were two people missing.

"Say, where's Jeanne and Akeno-san?"

"We're back here Shi-chan!"

Upon Shin's question, Jeanne's voice promptly responded from the other room.

The blonde beauty then peaked her head out.

"Akeno-chan is just showing me how she prepares her delicious tea~"

"Oh, OK then. Please continue."

"M'kay~"

And with that, Jeanne disappeared back into the room.

"Alright Shin-san, your hand is all healed up~"

Asia spoke with a smile, letting go of Shin's hand. The boy glanced at his hand and flexed it a bit, feeling no pain whatsoever.

"Thanks a bunch Asia. You're the greatest."

"There's no need to thank me Shin-san."

Once Asia finished healing Shin's hand, she sat back down on the couch next Issei, while Shin remained near the door.

Then, Rias spoke up.

"Shin-kun, you said you and Koneko ran into some street toughs. What happened to them?"

"Koneko beat the living daylights out of them. And I put their leader to sleep under some bags of trash and whatnot. Why you ask?"

"Because a gun was fired. That had to have alerted some people. If the police arrive and find your fingerprints on them, you'll get into a whole lot of trouble."

"Don't you worry about that. I wear gloves all the time."

Shin brushed Rias' worries off, igniting a confused response from the redhead.

"What? But, there's nothing on your hands!"

"Tsk tsk tsk." Shin waved his finger at her, before showing the back of his hand, where a small hole seemed to be ripped in the skin. "What you see as skin **is** the glove. The things I can touch with my bare hands are limited."

"Limited? Why is that?" This time, Yuuto asked the question, so Shin turned to the young man to answer.

"You'll learn soon enough."

The cryptic response made everyone present all the more curious. But Shin wouldn't reveal anything else, and they knew it.

But the little discussion was interrupted when the bubbly blonde Jeanne bounced back into the room, followed by Akeno. The ravenette joined Rias at her desk, while Jeanne landed herself next to Shin. The teen then glanced at her.

"You finished the tea brewing lesson?"

"Mhm~ Wanna try?"

As if by magic, Jeanne produced a tea cup from behind her back and presented it to Shin, who was only slightly taken by surprise.

"Fine, let's see what you managed to do..."

With that, Shin grabbed the cup and brought it up to his lips.

 ***-sip***

"-Guh?!"

As soon as the tea landed on his tongue, Shin's eyes opened wide with shock.

However, it wasn't the good kind of shock, evident by how Shin's face was quickly turning blue, causing panic to appear on Jeanne's face, as well as everyone else's.

"S-Shi-chan?! You're turning blue!"

"…!"

"Spit it out Shin-kun!"

"…!"

"S-Shin-san, I can't heal you if you suffocate! Please spit out the tea!"

Naturally, both Jeanne and Akeno got worried Shin was choking and tried to get him to spit out the tea, and even Asia made it clear that she wouldn't be able to help if the boy suffocated.

However, even though his face was blue, Shin didn't display any particular willingness to spit out the tea. Instead, closing his eyes and with evident effort, Shin swallowed the tea in his mouth in one loud gulp.

"-Haaaahhh..."

Afterward, the boy took a big breath and exhaled loudly.

Then, with sweat dripping down his face and a blank expression, Shin turned to Jeanne, who in turn turned sheepish.

"Jeanne...I think you need a few more lessons. At this rate, you'll end up poisoning someone."

"E-Eheheh..."

Seeing Shin give his usual response, people breathed out in slight relief, bar Jeanne who giggled awkwardly.

"Don't worry Shin-kun, I'll make sure Jeanne-chan doesn't accidentally poison anyone~"

Akeno went behind Shin and draped her arms around his neck, giggling slightly as she spoke. Then her face neared his, and she whispered in his ear.

"But you know, I think it would be better if Jeanne-chan got some house lessons. That way I can see what you two have to work with, and we'll work our way up. And most importantly, we'll be spending a lot more time together~"

"..."

Shin was quiet for a moment, just looking blankly at Akeno's teasing face. He then sighed.

"Yeah, no thanks. Our house crowded enough as it is. And if Serafall decides to give me one of her surprise visits as well, I don't think I'll be able to sleep properly."

"Mouu, Serafall-sama gets to spend time with you whenever."

Akeno pouted at Shin's response, but in her mind, she was smirking.

' _Hmm, so Serafall-sama can pay Shin-kun surprise visits? Maybe I should try it too?'_

"Well, would you look at the time. It's gotten pretty late. I think it's time to go home."

Shin checked his phone, seeing that it was getting close to midnight. Then he looked up at Asia.

"Asia, are you ready to go?"

"A-Ah, yes I am." Asia then stood up and bowed. "Everyone, thank you for the hospitality. I hope we'll meet again soon."

"Don't worry Asia, we'll see each other tomorrow."

Issei smiled at Asia and gave a thumbs up, causing the blonde to smile sweetly with a luminescent blush.

She then nodded her head once more and walked over to Shin's side, along with Jeanne.

But before they left the clubroom, Rias wanted to ask Shin one more question.

"Shin-kun, I need to ask you what your plans are now. Even if we weren't attacked tonight, I doubt things will remain like this tomorrow. The Fallen Angels will come for Asia, and as devils we can't get involved."

Hearing this, Issei turned to Rias with wide eyes.

"Wait, why can't we get involved Buchou?!"

"Asia is human Ise. Not to mention she's technically still affiliated with the Fallen Angels. By all means, we're the ones at fault for kidnapping her."

"But she couldn't have been better off with those bastards! Didn't you listen to what Asia said? They were definitely planning to use her for something!"

"I know, but if we act first, we risk rekindling the war, Ise."

""-!""

Hearing this, both Issei and Asia opened their eyes wide. Rias continued undeterred.

"You care for Asia, don't you Ise? I can see that much. But unless Asia becomes my servant, there's nothing I can do. That's why I asked Shin-kun what he was planning to do. He isn't affiliated with us, so he can act independently." she then turned her sights back to Shin. "Well, Shin-kun? What are you going to do?"

"..."

Shin was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking. After a few second, he looked at the redhead and answered.

"You don't need to worry. I'll take care of everything myself, tomorrow after school."

His answer didn't provide much enlightenment. However, there was also no real reason to doubt Shin's capabilities.

"I'll see you all tomorrow."

With that, Shin gave a short salute and activated his magic circle under his, Jeanne's and Asia's feet. The two girls waved one final time, before the circle glowed brightly and the three disappeared from the ORC.

* * *

 ***-glow***

Inside the Kurokawa residence, Shin's teleportation circle appeared inside the living room, Shin and his two female companions emerging from it.

"Alrighty then, here we are."

Shin gestured around the living room, presenting it to Asia.

"Asia, I'll go and prepare the guest room for you. In the meanwhile why don't you go and take a hot shower, to help relieve the stress. I doubt everything that went down today didn't affect you."

"Y-Yes, today was certainly quite a lot to take in. But being with Ise-san and everyone else helped me calm down a bit."

"Heh, gotcha. Jeanne, help Asia get settled in please."

"Leave it to me~" Jeanne saluted in a cute fashion, before taking Asia's hand. "Come on Asia-chan, let's see if we can find you a nice change of clothes~ Oh, you can also meet Sayaka and Kurome! Let's go~"

 ***-whoosh***

With that, Jeanne dragged poor Asia upstairs before the girl could even say anything, leaving Shin alone in the living room.

"Energetic as always..." the boy mumbled, shaking his head slightly.

"Nyya?"

"Hm?"

Hearing a familiar meow, Shin looked down to see his pet cat, Kurome, rubbing her body on his leg affectionately. With a small smile, Shin bent down and began scratching the feline behind the ear, earning a long satisfied purr from her.

"Hey Kurome. Anything happen while we were gone?"

"Nyaa~"

"Oh?"

Hearing what he understood as an affirmative meow from Kurome, Shin raised an eyebrow.

The small cat then raised her paw and pointed at the counter in the kitchen. Glancing at it, Shin noticed a little note left on it, so he stood up and went to have a closer look.

Reaching the counter, Shin saw a little message written on it.

"'You really shouldn't leave your pets unattended for so long Shin-chan. Especially the little pussy~ She gets cranky when she's not fed and given proper attention~'..." reading it out loud, Shin sweatdropped at the wording used in it. "And it's the same messy writing as the note from before. Looks like whoever left this notes is keeping their word in looking after you two. Though I do wonder why she prioritized you over Sayaka."

Slightly narrowing his eyes, Shin looked down at Kurome, who Shin once again could swear looked sheepish.

' _Heh, she didn't even notice what I said...'_ Shin thought with an internal smirk.

However, he didn't say anything else on the matter. He simply placed the note back on the counter and went back in the living room, followed closely by Kurome.

"I think it's about time I get the guest room ready."

Shin threw his blazer on the couch and left the room, heading into the hallway and up the stairs to the second floor. There, he could see the light coming from under the bathroom door.

' _So Asia is already in the shower, huh? That was rather fast?'_

However as the boy passed by the door, he heard something that stopped him in his tracks.

" _My, Asia-chan~ Your boobs don't look too big with that sister getup, but now I have to say they're rather nice~"_

" _A-Ahn..W-What are you doing Jeanne-saahn~ Please don't touch t-theem!"_

" _Come on now, Asia-chan~ Didn't you know that your breasts will become bigger if someone massages them? Ise-chan likes big boobs you know? This way you'll have more chances to woo him over~"_

" _I-Ise-san does...N-No, I can't think such impure thoughts!"_

"..." Shin was left speechless upon hearing what was happening in the bathroom. And he honestly felt bad for Asia, however he couldn't step in, as he wasn't comfortable with barging in on Asia and he was sure she wasn't comfortable with that notion either.

' _Maybe Ise, in the future. I can see the sparks between them, and by God this is the perverts first and possibly only shot at finding true love. I will not interrupt that.'_

Shaking his head and wishing Asia best of luck, Shin moved on to the room at the end of the hallway, and stepped inside.

The next few minutes were spent getting the room in order. After that, Shin went downstairs and quickly cooked dinner. After his first cooking lesson with Akeno, the boy had been practicing in secret, so he was confident it would be a nice dinner.

And he wasn't wrong. Jeanne and Asia emerged from the shower just as Shin finished cooking dinner, and the night went on without further incident.

Now, it was almost midnight when everyone went to bed. Asia fell asleep in what was originally Jeanne's room, whereas the blonde was peacefully sleeping on Shin's chest in the boy's room.

The ravenette however, was still awake.

' _This week was certainly something. But tomorrow it comes to end. I'll finally dispatch of those feathered bastards, and then Asia can decide what she'll do next on her own. I have a feeling she'll want to stay with Issei, but you never know.'_

However, his face suddenly fell into a frown.

' _There's something in the air...This isn't a good sign. For once, let it be me being paranoid...'_

Finishing that thought, Shin closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep, which proved harder than expected, due to the sinking feeling he was getting.

* * *

The next morning, Shin was the first to wake up.

It was still early, so he didn't wake up the two girls in the house, instead opting to take a shower in order to think upon some things in peace.

A little while after he was done showering, Shin heard his alarm clock ringing from upstairs, Jeanne and Asia coming down in the living room soon after.

There they found Shin already in his uniform and eating some toast.

"Shi-chan? You got ready really fast."

Jeanne couldn't help but point that out, to which Shin simply shrugged his shoulders.

"I woke up extra early today. Took a shower and decided to get ready, instead of just waiting around. Want some toast?"

"U-Uh, no thanks. You know I can't eat in the morning."

"Asia?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm not used to eating this early, so I'll pass for now.."

"Oh well."

Seeing neither of the two girls wanted to eat, Shin shrugged his shoulders again and quickly finished the remaining toast.

He then glanced at the clock, seeing it was almost time for him to get going.

"Alright. Jeanne, I have a task for you."

"Uh, okay? W-What do you need Shi-chan?"

"I'm going to the clubhouse real quick. I need to confirm something with Rias before I go after the Fallen Angels. I need you to stay with Asia until the crows are roasted. Think you can do that?"

"Yeah, of course! If anyone tries to get their hands on Asia-chan I'll cut them up!"

 ***-shiing***

To emphasize her statement, Jeanne made a sword appear in her hand, taking Asia by surprise.

Seeing this, Jeanne giggled slightly.

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you about this, did I? Now that I think about it, I didn't even tell Ria-chan and her peerage. But pretty much, this is my Sacred Gear~"

"Y-you have a Sacred Gear too?!"

Asia looked quite surprised by the revelation, so Jeanne smiled brightly and raised her sword, presenting it to Asia.

"Yup~ My Sacred Gear is called Blade Blacksmith. I allows m to create all sorts of holy swords just like this one. They pale in comparison to the likes of Excalibur, but they're pretty strong. And the stronger I get, the stronger the blades become as well~"

"Oh, is that so? Then, with enough training, Jeanne-san's blades could even become as strong as the Excalibur."

"Possibly~"

"But you still have a long way to go until then."

Asia's words made Jeanne basically beam with pride, so Shin saw it fit as 'older brother' to bring the blonde down a peg.

"Mouu, I'm strong enough Shi-chan!"

"Hehe, I know. Which is why I'm leaving you to look after Asia until I'm done. I gotta get going now, but I'll be back soon enough. Take care you two."

"Yes, seeya later Shi-chan."

"Goodbye Shin-san!"

Jeanne waved Shin goodbye halfheartedly, due to his commentary on her skills, but Asia sent him off with a smile.

The boy gave a short smile as well, before going out the door and leaving the two blondes alone.

It was silence between the two for a bit, before Jeanne turned to Asia with a big smile on her face.

"Asia-chan, how would you like a little tour of the city?"

* * *

 **Jeanne P.O.V**

Asia-chan was a little reluctant to go out in the city after what Shi-chan said, but I managed to convince her it's good to go out and enjoy herself sometime.

Stupid Shi-chan! Making Asia-chan doubt my skills like that! I'll show him one day!

...Okay, that's probably a lie.

B-But I'll get him back!

"So Jeanne-san, where exactly are we going?"

Oh yeah, I got lost in my own thoughts for a second there. Forgot Asia-chan and I were walking through the streets.

"Well, I was thinking of going through the shopping district first, so we can check out some cute clothes for you~ After that, I don't know yet."

I say that with a smile on my face.

"O-Oh, okay. But, what's wrong with my current clothes?"

Silly Asia-chan. There's nothing wrong with your clothes.

"I was just thinking that you need a new style, y'know? You're no longer a member of the church, so why not try some new things?"

"Ah, o-okay then! Please lead the way, Jeanne-chan!"

"Hehe, that's the spirit Asia-chan! Let's goo~"

Enthusiastically, I grab Asia-chan's hand, raise my other one in the air, and we take off down the street at top speeds.

"J-J-Jeanne-saaan! This is too faaast!"

Hearing Asia's voice, I look behind me to see the poor girl barely keeping up with my pace. Oh yeah, I forgot about my own speed there for a second.

So, for Asia-chan's sake, I slow down a bit but keep a steady speedy pace, and keep going on our way to the shopping district.

We keep walking for a while, until we end up coming across a rather strange sight.

"-Three...Four..F-Five..S-siixx..Uwaah?!"

 ***-thump***

We saw Ise-chan that just fell on his butt.

From the looks of it, he was trying to dome some bar pull-ups. Obviously, he's not used to it, if he fell after just six.

Either that or he's fatter than he looks. But he looks pretty skinny though. Hmm..

"Hey Ise-chan! What're you doing here?"

I call out to him as Asia-chan and I walk over.

Hearing my voice, he looks up surprised.

"J-Jeanne-chan? Asia? W-What are you two doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing Ise-chan. Aren't you supposed to be in class right now?"

"U-Uh, well, I wasn't feeling so well today, and I thought I'd take a...walk through the park! Yeah, that's it! E-Ehehe..."

Ise-chan, you aren't good at lying.

"Ise-san isn't feeling well. T-Then, let me see if my Twilight Healing can help!"

Oh yeah, I forgot Asia-chan can't recognize a lie. But I would've thought a lie like this would be obvious even to her. Guess not.

"O-Oh, don't worry Asia! I'm better now, b-but thanks for offering.."

Ise-chan has gone all red in the face~ He looks kind of cute when he's embarrassed.

Wait, what am I thinking? Nonono, sorry Ise-chan but my heart belongs to Shi-chan. I can't let you woo me over.

But anyway, after Ise-chan dusts himself off, we all sit down on one of the benches nearby.

When we're all sat, I look over at Ise-chan and ask him.

"So, what exactly were you training for Ise-chan?"

"A-Ah, I wasn't training!"

"Ise-chan, there's no point in lying. You're forgetting I can hear your thoughts."

I remind him of my little hereditary voices that let me listen in to what some people are thinking.

"Oh, I forgot..."

There you go, now you've remembered~

Ise-chan then looks down at the ground slightly before speaking.

"I've been thinking about something..."

"Careful not to hurt yourself."

I let that slip.

Now Ise-chan is looking at me with shock! Noo, I'm sorry Ise-chan! I didn't mean to imply you're stupid! Sorryyy!

"A-Ah, I'm sorry Ise-chan! I've just been around Shi-chan for so long that I've picked up his habit of throwing jabs at people instinctively! I didn't mean it!"

"O-Oh, don't worry Jeanne-chan, it's fine! Really! I'm not mad!"

We're both blushing with embarrassment now.

When I look over, I see Asia-chan giggling! Hey, I'm the one giggling at other's embarrassing moments!

Hah, thankfully Ise-chan is a good sport and continues his reasoning after a brief moment.

"I've been thinking a bit about the encounter with Freed."

Freed? I feel like I've heard that name before…

Oh yeah, Shi-chan said that was the guy he kicked the couch at! Yeah, now I remember. The one that managed to shoot Ise-chan in the legs.

When I look over at Asia-chan, she recognizes the name as well. So we're all thinking of the same guy, that's good.

"The encounter with Father Freed? Why have you been thinking of that Ise-san?"

"I needed to have Kurokawa protect me. And in the end, I got shot regardless because I wasn't fast enough to dodge."

Oh boy, I have an idea where this is going…

"And what's worse, I had to ask Kurokawa to save you while I was teleported away. As a man, that's unacceptable. Which is why, I've decided to start training so I can get stronger! That way, I won't be a liability in the future!"

A liability huh?

"Ise-chan, you've just been reincarnated as a devil a short while ago. There's no way you could've been able to become substantially stronger this fast. You don't have to blame yourself for not being up to par with other yet."

I explain this to Ise-chan. Even Asia-chan joins in.

"Jeanne-san is right! To me, Ise-san is already strong! You tried to save me from the evil angels and Father Freed, and last night when I told everyone about my past, you showed sympathy and got angry at the higher ups of the church."

Hearing what the two of us said, Ise-chan got teary eyed.

"Asia, Jeanne-chan...D-Damn, those were some nice words! You've lifted my spirits!"

"Hehe, anytime~"

"Yes, like Jeanne-san said. I will not allow Ise-san to be sad!"

Asia-chan, you really care for Ise-chan, don't you? It's so cute.

After that little moment, we all decided to head down to a fast food restaurant a little down the street, to get something to eat.

Turns out, neither of us ate breakfast. Maybe I should've taken Shi-chan up on that toast..

Nah! Toast doesn't compare to a nice burger and some fries~

* * *

Now we were in the restaurant, where Ise-chan and I were watching Asia-chan try to order some food. However, it proved harder than expected for the girl, as she didn't know Japanese properly yet.

"U-Uhm..I'll have a...auu..."

Poor Asia-chan, struggling to order a burger.

I look behind us, where a line of people is starting to line up. So I quickly turn to Ise-chan and give him a light jab to get his attention.

When he turned to look at me, he noticed the crowd behind and understood what I wanted to tell him.

"She'll just have the same as me."

He stepped next Asia and spoke to the cashier, who smiled and bobbed her head.

Asia looked surprised at Ise-chan stepping in, and then a disappointed expression appeared on her face.

"Moouu...I can't even order a burger by myself..."

No, don't be sad Asia-chan!

"Don't you worry Asia-chan! You still can't speak Japanese properly, so it's no reason to be upset~"

I try to cheer Asia-chan up, but it only seems to work so much.

Fortunately enough, she forgets about it when we all get our orders.

Trays in hand, we all sit down at one of the tables that were free, and begin enjoying our fast and unhealthy food. Geez, good thing Yasaka-san is actually a pretty good cook, otherwise I probably would've been dependent on fast food. A fat Jeanne-chan is something I don't want to imagine.

As I'm eating my burger, I notice Asia is staring at her food weirdly.

Glancing over at Ise-chan, he noticed that as well, so he places his food down at gets Asia's attention.

"You haven't had a burger before, have you Asia?"

"N-No, this is the first time… I usually eat soup and bread. This is very new..."

Just soup and bread?! What kind of monsters has Asia-chan encountered?!

Aza-chan better not know about this, or else not even Shemha-chan or Vali-chan will be able to stop me from punishing that naughty Governor!

As I'm raging in my mind, I see Ise-chan reach over and show Asia how to unwrap her burger, which makes her eyes open wide with surprise. She looks like a child!

"Then you grab it like this, and then you bite down like this."

Afterward Asia-chan learns how to eat the burger! And when couples it with fries like Ise-chan told her, she gains stars in her eyes. It's like I'm watching a parent teaching their child! It's so cute~

Soon enough, we finish our food. Asia-chan looks visibly happier now, which is nice to see!

Once we leave the fast food restaurant, we finally get on to my idea, which is clothes shopping.

"Oh, look at this Asia-chan! It would look so cute on you~"

I show Asia a nice little yellow sundress with straps and little patterns. She looks at it and her face lights up slightly.

"Ah yes, this looks very pretty! What do you think Ise-san?"

"W-Well, I-I-I mean, yeah, it l-looks very nice on you Asia!"

Ise-chan stutters when Asia turns to him with her precious expression and the yellow dress in her hand.

Knowing his imagination, Ise-chan probably imagined what Asia-chan would look like with the dress in one of his fantasies. Oh Ise-chan, you never change, do you?

We all keep looking through clothes for a little while longer until Ise-chan suggests we all go down to the arcade.

I've never been to and arcade before.

I agree, and Asia-chan didn't mind going there either, so we move through the streets of the shopping district until we end up in front of the big neon sign that read 'ARCADE'.

Going inside, it was a little disappointing, if I'm honest. I was expecting something more grand.

Then again, Kuoh is a medium sized town, so I guess I'm imagining an arcade in the big cities like Tokyo or Akihabara. Maybe even Kyoto.

But anyway, we roam the place for a bit, playing a few fighting and racing games to see what the place had to offer.

Heh. Ise-chan was foolish enough to challenge me to a few fighting games.

I may not look like it, but I've gotten plenty of practice thanks to playing with Ku-chan back in Kyoto! So Ise-chan is shocked when I absolutely own him at Fatal Kombat. He even tried to redeem himself by challenging me to a racing game, where he also got beat.

Once Ise-chan has had enough loss for one visit at the arcade, we begin to head out when Asia-chan stops to look at a crane game.

"Oh? Do you like Rache-kun?"

Ise-chan asks that while going over to Asia. Said girl gains an embarrassed blush on her cheeks.

"E-Eh? No, that's...i-it's just that..."

In the end, Asia-chan nods her head shyly.

"Then I will get it for you Asia!"

Ise-chan pumps his fist and inserts a coin into the machine, surprising Asia-chan.

"Oh, I-Ise-san you don't need to-"

"Don't worry Asia! If it's for you, then I'll definitely get this Rache-kun!"

Ooh, Ise-chan sounds determined! Go Ise-chan! Get that toy for Asia-chan and win her heart!

For a little while, I watch as Ise-chan attempts to grab one of the Rache-kun dolls in the machine. As this is a crane game, it goes without saying that the first few tries were complete failures.

The third and fourth time it looked like Ise-chan was going to get the doll, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

Asia-chan looked a little worried on the fifth try, but this time, Ise-chan managed to get the doll!

Taking it out of the compartment, Ise-chan hands Rache-kun to Asia-chan, who gains little stars in her eyes, and hugs it tightly.

"Thank you very much for winning this for me, Ise-san. I will take great care of this doll."

Asia-chan seems quite serious. Damn, and here I thought mine and Shi-chan's lives were hard growing up. Even with own incident...It pales in comparison to what Asia-chan has been through.

"Hey hey, now. Asia, if that doll makes you happy, then I'll win a bunch more for you!"

You go Ise-chan! I can definitely feel it now! You're the one for Asia-chan!

Looking at Asia-chan, I see her shaking her head, confusing Ise-chan.

"It's fine Ise-san. This Rache-kun is all I need. It represents this wonderful day I've spent with you and Jeanne-san. You took the time to show me around, and this doll will help commemorate this, so I will take great care of it."

"Aww, you're so sweet Asia-chan~ But don't worry! Shi-chan will take care of those pesky Fallen Angels and you'll get to stay with us, so Ise-chan can take you on many more dates!"

I say that excitedly, with a wide smile on my face.

[D-D-D-Dates?!]

Ah yes, I forgot these two are still not ready to admit they're love to each other. Oh well, let this be a little push then~

* * *

After that, we found ourselves walking through a park. Looking around us, I can see the trees and everything around us gain a slightly orange hue. Looking up, I see the sun starting it's setting phase.

That's weird.

I take out my phone and check for missed phone calls. None.

I thought Shi-chan would've called me by now, to let me know the Fallen Angels have been disposed of.

I'm snapped out of my thinking when I notice Asia suddenly stopped.

"Asia-chan? Something wrong?"

I ask the other blonde. Ise-chan also notices and turns around.

"Ise-san. Jeanne-san. Today was...it was amazing."

Asia-chan then begins to speak emotionally.

"Today was the first time I've actually had so much fun. Jeanne-san, you've taken me around the shopping district, and showed me so many pretty dresses. Ise-san, you shown me how to eat a hamburger, and even won this Rache-kun for me. I'm so grateful to you both for everything you've done for me today. I know it was quite a hassle, as I have no common sense as to how things go here...and I still can't even speak Japanese properly, or even know about the Japanese culture...b-but I'll learn eventually!"

There are some tears in her eyes now.

Dammit Asia-chan, you're making me get emotional as well!

I look over at Ise-chan and see he's starting to tear up too. The way Asia-chan is speaking so emotionally right now, it's getting us both emotional too.

"I had a dream, that one day I would make many friends...That we would go to buy flowers, buy books and...even just talk. You have made my dream come true today. So, once I learn all of those things I'm missing, please let's do this again!"

Now my eyes are leaking tears at Asia-chan's words. Ise-chan is crying too.

He quickly goes over and grasps Asia-chan's hands, raising them to eye level.

"Of course Asia! There's no question! We'll definitely do this again! We'll go to a flower shop, and you can pick whichever flowers you'd like, no matter how many. We'll go to the bookstore and read books all day long if you want! I don't care what it is, whatever makes you happy, I'll do it!"

"R-Really?"

Asia-chan seemed shocked by Ise-chan's statement. Then he declared something else with conviction.

"Yes really. Because we're friends!"

Hearing the word 'friend', Asia-chan's eyes leaked even more tears.

Last night, when she told us about her past in the clubroom, even though she never directly mentioned it, it was obvious that she grew up with no friends. Although she did mention her actual friendships which she formed during the time she met Shi-chan, she lost all of them after she got kicked out from the church.

But now, that Ise-chan declared they are friends with such passion, Asia-chan is tearing up.

Don't worry Asia-chan. All of us are your friends now. And we won't let anything change that.

* * *

"How sweet."

Oh boy.

A voice from above interrupts our little moment. As soon as they hear it, Ise-chan and Asia-chan's eyes open wide, and both of them look up. I follow their line of sight, and see the owner of the voice.

"Y-Yuuma-chan..."

Ise-chan's voice is trembling.

Floating above us, is a slender woman with long silky black hair and black wings on her back. A Fallen Angel.

One of the four Fallen Angels Shi-chan was searching for. Raynare. But what's she doing here? Where's Shi-chan?"

"So, you survived? But as a devil? I've dated some pretty questionable people in the past, but you're truly the worst."

Raynare sneers at Ise-chan. Hey, his souls is cleaner than your dirty wings you witch!

"...Raynare-sama..."

I hear Asia-chan's voice, and see her looking up at Raynare with slight fear. Don't worry Asia-chan, I won't let them hurt you!"

 ***-glow***

In my hand, I make a long European Sword appear, and take a stance in front of Ise-chan and Asia-chan. The Fallen Angel finally seems to notice me.

"Hmm? And who are you girlie?"

"I'm the one tasked with turning you into a fucking kebab if you even come near Asia-chan and Ise-chan!"

Oops, I accidentally let that one slip. Another bad habit I picked up from Shi-chan. His use of the word 'fuck'.

Even Ise-chan and Asia-chan seemed surprised by it. Oh well, no point in worrying about that now, Shi-chan gave me a task which I will upkeep!

"My, what a mouth on you. And that sword. It emits holy energy. Are you a holy sword wielder?"

Raynare sneers lightly. Heh, she's on her guard. That means she sees me as a threat, which is good.

"This is my Sacred Gear, Blade Blacksmith. It allows me to create a whole punch of holy swords to turn you into a pin cushion."

"Fufu, you think you can beat me? I'm a mighty Fallen-"

 ***-slash***

I didn't even let her finish.

I used a technique Shi-chan showed me, to send a small invisible slash of holy energy which cut Raynare's cheek, to show her I'm not messing around.

Feeling blood drip down her cheek, Raynare outright scowls at me now.

"Tch, scummy bitch! How dare you cut my face?!"

"I'll cut much more than your face if you don't state your reason for being here and then split!"

I really don't want to drag this out.

The fact the Fallen Angel is here, means she's somehow managed to get away from Shi-chan. And I know she has some friends, but I don't know where they are. If they show up, we'll be outnumbered, and I can't fight them all with simultaneously protecting Asia-chan and Ise-chan.

Raynare clicks her tongue and wipes the blood on her face away.

"My reason for being here, as you put it, is retrieve that girl behind you. She's our personal possession you know? And we'd like her back right away."

Raynare then turned to look at Asia-chan, who stepped behind Ise-chan.

"Asia, there's no point in running. You know that right? So why don't you just come back with us already. You're quite essential to our plans. Well, your Sacred Gear that is. Besides, we took the time to look for you, all while hiding from that monster, Shin Kurokawa. Stop being such a pain."

"Like hell you're taking Asia! She stays right here with us!"

Ooh, Ise-chan steps up. He glaring at Raynare, and she's glaring right back at him.

"I'm taking to Asia, not you you lowly devil scum! If you don't go back to your masters side, you'll die again, just as pathetically as the first time!"

Ise-chan doesn't seem to back down, and just raises his arm high and shouts.

"Sacred Gear!"

 ***-glow***

Ise-chan's Sacred Gear manifests on his arm. The small jewel in the gauntlet seemingly releases a slight glint.

Raynare looks at the gauntlet for a while, before she starts laughing.

"Ahaha! That's your Sacred Gear? **That** is what the higher ups were afraid of? Ridiculous, ahaha!"

Hearing this, Ise-chan's face turns into confusion.

"W-What's so funny?!"

"Your Sacred Gear, that's what! We were told you had a dangerous Sacred Gear, but your Sacred Gear nothing more than a measly 'Twice Critical'. It's one of the most common Sacred Gears out there. It does nothing more than double your power. That could not possibly be a threat to us."

This is getting to me. The way she keeps saying it, bothers me.

"You keep saying 'us', but you're the only one standing in front of us."

The Fallen Angel Raynare smirks at me. This isn't good.

"Please. Did you really think I'd come here alone?"

 ***-shiing***

"-!"

 ***-clang***

As if on cue, a spear of light came from one of the trees, which I managed to deflect with relative ease.

Afterward, another woman flew next to Raynare. A busty Onee-sama with silky blue hair and wearing a tight suit. I remember her face too. The Fallen Angel Kalawarner.

That's two Fallen Angels now. Gaining a disadvantage. I have to get rid of them somehow.

"You've got nowhere to run now Asia. Just surrender peacefully and we'll let your friends go unharmed."

Raynare speaks to Asia-chan again. The poor girl seems even more afraid now. Don't worry Asia-chan!

"If you want to get to Asia-chan, you'll have to get through me!"

I raise my sword and harden my stance. I'm not budging, and it's evident on my face. This is serious now. I usually try to avoid conflict, but I will not let these Fallen Angels get their dirty hands on Asia-chan.

"Tch, you're really persistent you know? Guess we have no choice but to kill you now!"

Kalawarner declares that, and forms a sword of light in her hand. So she uses swords? Big mistake.

The Fallen Angel then rushes me with surprising speed, trying to get behind me and slash my side.

 ***-clang***

However, I parry with ease, and manage to push her back. Or that's what I thought.

From my peripheral view, I see a spear of light heading at me.

So that's what they did. Kalawarner got up close to distract me, then jumped away when Raynare threw her spear at me. Clever move.

 ***shatter***

However, my reaction speed is much faster, so I manage to turn around and slice the spear in half.

"Got you now!"

They won't relent!

As soon as the spear was shattered, Kalawarner rushed me again, so I had to quickly pivot my body to parry her attack.

"Gh-!"

This one had more power than I expected. She actually managed to push me back slightly. But I'm not a slouch, so I manage to push her back as well.

"How about this?!"

I hear Raynare's voice, so I instinctively move my body away.

I manage to avoid Raynare's spear, but now both her and Kalawarner are in front of me, and they rush me at the same time!

I parry, but they're stronger than I expected.

Though this situation is good. We're all stuck in a deadlock, meaning they can't move easily. Thus, I turn my head to Ise-chan and Asia-chan.

"Ise-chan, now's your chance! Grab Asia-chan and run! Call Shi-chan and tell him to get here!"

My phone wasn't completely in my pocket, so I managed to shake it out and kick it toward Ise-chan. He managed to catch it, fumbling a bit as he did, but at least he has it.

"Now go!"

I shout strongly.

Ise-chan seems hesitant, quickly looking between me and the phone. No! Now's not the time to be hesitant Ise-chan! You need to keep yourself and Asia-chan safe! I can deal with them!

"Grr, don't let them get away!"

I hear Raynare. Her and Kalawarner attempt to break away, but I quickly put pressure back on my sword, keeping them still.

"Dammit!"

Finally, Ise-chan's voice resounds, before I see him grab Asia-chan's hand and turn around to run out of here. Good, now I can take care of these two!

"Hah!"

I push my sword strongly, causing their knees to buckle slightly, but that's all I need. The instant their hold is weakened, I break the deadlock and simultaneously hit their weapons away, opening their midsections.

They open their eyes wide and immediately jump back and take to the air.

So in response, I made another holy sword in my hand, and threw both of them at the Fallen Angels.

They managed to see it coming in time and dodged, however they didn't see the second set of swords I threw, which ricocheted off the previous blade, taking the Fallen Angels by surprise.

The swords then flew at them before they could react, and managed to stab themselves into their wings, causing them to crash down.

Exhaling, I glance back where I see Ise-chan and Asia-chan a fair distance away.

That's good. This should've bought them enough time to get away. Now I can focus properly on these two.

.

.

...Wait.

These **two**?

But weren't there...four?

"-!"

Immediately, my eyes shoot open, and I look back at Ise-chan and Asia-chan, where I see two glints in the trees behind them. Crap!

"Issei, Asia! Behind you!"

I call out to them desperately, as two light spears were launched from within the foliage.

"-Huh? Crap!"

Ise-chan managed to turn around in time to see the spears coming, but he's got nothing to block with!

"Sacred Gear!"

 **-BOOST!**

 ***-clang***

[-!]

Ise-chan managed to shock both me and himself.

As if a response to Ise-chan's desperate call to his Sacred Gear, a strong voice boomed from the jewel of the gauntlet. Then, I'm guessing by instinct, Ise-chan swiped at one of the spears, and actually managed to hit it away without damaging himself.

 **-STAB!**

However, he didn't manage to hit the second one, and it ended up stabbing him in the thigh, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground, taking Asia with him.

Then, from the foliage, two new figures appeared.

The other two Fallen Angels Shi-chan was looking for. A man in a trench-coat and fedora, Dohnaseek, and a small blonde girl in a Gothic Lolita outfit, Mittelt.

"No more running away now, devil scum."

Dohnaseek spats out coldly.

Ise-chan looks up at the man with some fear in his eyes. Dammit, I have to help them!

 **-STAB!**

Huh?

I hear a sound from behind me, followed by an intense pain. Looking down, I see a spear of light sticking out from my kidney area. That's not good.

"-Gwaah!"

"A-Ah, Jeanne-chan!"

"No, Jeanne-san!"

I cough up blood.

It must've been loud, because I hear Ise-chan and Asia-chan calling out my name with worry. Dammit, I forgot about Raynare and Kalawarner. If forgot to never turn my back until the enemy is dead or out cold.

I collapse to the ground as the spear disperses, clutching my wound in pain.

This isn't good. My vision is starting to fade already…

Crap, Ise-chan doesn't stand a chance against all four of them…

I'm sorry Ise-chan...Asia-chan...I'm sorry...Shi-chan...I gave you my word, and failed…

With that, my vision fades to black, and I lose consciousness.

* * *

 **3rd Person P.O.V**

"Nowhere else to run, and no one to protect you. It wouldn't be an understatement to say you're in deep waters, devil."

Dohnaseek smirked evilly.

With Jeanne out for the count, and Issei injured, things weren't looking too bright. And the brunette knew this.

"That was a lot of hassle."

Raynare and Kalawarner flew over, joining the other two. They then all formed spears of light, and pointed them at Issei.

"It's your choice Asia. Either you come with us, or we kill him too and take you by force."

Raynare spoke coldly.

' _D-Dammit! If only I was stronger, I could beat these bastards and get both Asia and Jeanne-chan out of here!'_

 **You need...strong emotions…**

' _H-Huh? There's that voice again...strong emotions? I need strong emotions to get stronger?'_

Issei didn't get a response again, but he somehow felt that he was right.

However, he didn't know what emotions he needed. Not like he could focus on any feelings in the first place, due to the burning pain coursing through his body caused by the spear of light.

 ***-glow***

However, that pain was soon replaced by warmth.

When he looked down, he saw Asia healing his wound. She then spoke solemnly toward Raynare.

"I-I'll come with you..."

"W-What?! No, Asia, you can't!"

"It's fine, Ise-san."

Asia spoke softly, and showed Issei a sad smile. A smile one gives someone close when saying goodbye.

"This way, you can save Jeanne-san. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

With those words, Issei felt pain shoot through his heart. This was truly a goodbye.

"Humpf! Good decision girl."

"Yes, now we can finally begin the final phase of our plans."

As Asia finished healing Issei's leg, Dohnaseek and Raynare spoke up. Issei's former girlfriend then stepped up and embraced Asia from behind, wrapping her wings around her.

"D-Dammit, this isn't over!"

Naturally, with his leg healed, Issei immediately tried to stand back up and help Asia, however he was stopped dead in his track by a pink spear of light pointed straight at his neck, courtesy of Mittelt.

"I suggest you chill, before you really get both yourself and busty blonde back there killed. Stop being a pest!"

Issei wanted to retort, but with a spear of light pointed as his neck, there really wasn't much he could do.

"It's fine Ise-san. Please give Jeanne-san my gratitude. And thank you also."

"Don't say that Asia!"

"Don't worry Asia, with today's ritual, you'll be free from your pain. All of it, I promise."

Raynare spoke with a lecherous smile, before looking at Issei.

"You were save by this girl, Low-Class devil. You should be thankful to her. But remember, if you get in my way again, I'll definitely kill you. Goodbye now, Ise-kun~"

With those partying words, Raynare flapped her wings and took to the sky, taking Asia with her.

"NOOOO! ASIAAA!"

But Issei's cries were futile. Asia was gone, and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

"Farewell, devil."

"Laters~"

"For your own good, go back to your Master and don't try to meddle in our business again."

Shortly after Raynare took off, Kalawarner, Mittelt and Dohnaseek followed suit, leaving Issei all alone, bar some black feathers, Asia's Rache-kun and the unconscious Jeanne.

 ***drip* *drip***

With tears dripping from his eyes, Issei got on his knees and started punching the ground repeatedly, so hard that it left bloody marks on the concrete.

He grit his teeth in frustration, and cried out as loud as his lungs allowed him to.

"ASIAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

His cry echoed through the park, the sun setting behind him.

He sat there, tears dripping down his cheeks for a while, before he remembered something.

"-! Jeanne-chan!"

Issei had to briefly forget about letting Asia get taken, to focus on the unconscious Jeanne, who was at a very real risk of bleeding out, due to being stabbed by the spear of light. After all, Asia gave herself up in order to allow Issei and Jeanne to live. If the blonde bled out, not only would Issei most likely get killed by Shin, but most importantly he would have let Asia down.

So wiping his tears away, the brunette got to his feet and ran over to the blonde.

"Jeanne-chan, please be alive!"

Issei turned Jeanne over, cringing at the wound she suffered and the amount of blood she had lost already. The dress she wore was mostly soaked in blood, and there was a small pool of blood under her as well.

Fortunately enough, he could hear her breathing with his enhanced senses, so he breathed in relief slightly.

However, he wasn't out of the woods yet. He still needed to get help for Jeanne, but he didn't know what to do, other than take off his jacket and use it to try and stop Jeanne's bleeding.

"-!"

Until he remembered Jeanne's phone, which he had.

He quickly fished out the phone, silently praying it was fine, as it had been near where the spear hit and it had to survive Issei's hard fall to the ground.

To his relief, the phone only had a crack across the screen, but was otherwise fine.

' _I only have a few phone numbers in my phone, none of which belong to any of the club members! Dammit, why did no one see it fit to give me their number, in case of situations like these?!'_

While thinking that, Issei quickly looked through Jeanne's contacts, soon finding Shin's contact info.

' _Kurokawa's gonna be super pissed, but I don't care right now. He can kill me after I save Asia!"_

Determined, Issei dialed the number and placed the phone to his ear.

.

.

.

" **Yeah? I can't talk right now Jeanne. The sneaky bastards managed to hide their presence and ran off. I'm trying to find them right now-"**

"They already got Asia, Kurokawa!"

After a few beeps, Shin's voice came from the other side. However, he didn't sound ready to talk, so Issei had to interrupt him to tell him the situation.

And hearing Issei's voice, audible shock came from Shin's side.

" **H-Hyoudou? What do you mean they got Asia?! And why are you calling me from Jeanne's phone? What happened!?"**

"Jeanne-chan, Asia and I were in the park, when Raynare and her goons showed up. They wanted to get Asia for some sort of ritual, a-and Jeanne-chan tried to fight them them off. But she got distracted when two of Raynare's friends came after me and Asia and ended up getting stabbed! This is bad Kurokawa. T-They took Asia and Jeanne-chan is bleeding out and I don't know what to do! Before she got stabbed she told me to call you and tell you what happened!"

Issei's voice started out normally, but soon turned frantic and shaky.

From the other side, a sharp inhale was heard, before Shin spoke calmly.

" **Hyoudou, calm down. Where are you right now?"**

"I-I'm in the park. The park where...Raynare killed me."

" **..."**

 ***-beep***

 ***-glow***

Almost as soon as the call ended, Shin's magic circle appeared a little distance away from Issei.

Stepping out, Shin immediately went over to Issei's side and observed Jeanne's wounds, scowling lightly as he did.

"Dammit Jeanne, this is why you still have a long way to go..."

Muttering that, the ravenette bent down and removed Issei's hand from the wound, confusing the teen.

"What are you going to do?"

"Fix her, what else?"

 ***-glow* SHIING**

"Y-You're gonna fix her up with a sword?!"

Yes, true to Issei's word, Shin now had a long, one edged European sword in his hand.

The blade itself was black, with a golden hilt and handle. There were also intricate runes carved into the blade and on the hilt.

Seeing the blade, Issei's eyes naturally opened wide in shock. However, Shin was calm.

"This sword is special Hyoudou."

"H-How..?"

"It's called Dyrwyn. It's a demonic sword with a special curse on it."

As he explained that, Shin placed the sword in Jeanne's hand, and made her hold it firmly.

 ***-stab!***

Issei was confused as to how the sword would help, but before he could question anything, he was shocked when Shin shoved the sword in his midsection.

The ravenette cringed slightly, but otherwise showed no discomfort. He then glanced down at the sword in his gut.

Following the line of sight, Issei saw that the blood from Shin's wound slowly began to drip down the blade of the sword, filling in the rune carvings on the blade.

The blood then continued to flow down, until it eventually reached the hilt.

After that, the bloody runes started glowing, surprising Issei.

He then saw something changing with Jeanne. Looking closely, he saw the blood pooled under her slowly begin to retreat back toward her wound. And after the blood was gone, Issei saw the stab wound slowly begin to close.

"Holy crap! I-It's almost like Asia's healing!"

"It's...a little different than that." Shin cringed a bit when he spoke, watching carefully as Jeanne's wound closed. "This sword's curse allows it to heal non-lethal wounds, however, it requires the current holder to sacrifice blood to it. And it can't be used by just anyone. Only the wielder and those acknowledged by them. The one who needs healing also needs to touch the sword in some way. Also, the healing is in accordance to the amount of blood sacrificed. Meaning, the more serious the injury you're healing, then the more hurt you'll be at the end."

As he finished explaining the swords abilities, the wound finished healing.

So with a low grunt, Shin pulled the blade out of his gut.

"But what about you Kurokawa? By what you said, doesn't that mean you've just lost the same amount of blood as Jeanne-chan?"

Issei showed a little worry, which pleasantly surprised Shin. However he shook his head at the brunette.

"It does, however I'm much more durable than her. Not to mention **my** wounds can heal on their own, meaning I'll be just fine in like five minutes."

 ***-glow***

Shin picked up the unconscious blonde and activate his teleportation circle under himself and Issei.

Afterward, they were both enveloped in a bright glow, before being teleported away.

* * *

Back in the clubroom, Rias and her peerage were already awaiting Shin's return.

The phone conversation between him and Issei was loud enough for Rias and everyone else to understand what was happening.

And they knew things were about to go down.

 ***-glow***

And everyone inhaled sharply when the familiar blue circle appeared in the room, Shin, Issei and Jeanne emerging from it soon after.

Shin said nothing upon his arrival, instead he went over to one of the couches and placed Jeanne down on it.

"I'm guessing this became a personal thing now?"

Rias took a guess, based on what she heard from Issei over the phone and Jeanne's bloody dress.

"...No."

[-!]

Hearing the response, everyone present was surprised. So Shin elaborated calmly.

"Jeanne knows not to turn her back to enemies during a fight. She got distracted and got wounded. That's to be a lesson learned for her in the future. She probably knows it too."

He then straightened his body and inhaled deeply.

"I'll save the lecture until we after we get Asia back and kill those bastards. So you better enjoy you little 'sleep' Jeanne."

"..."

Shin spoke toward Jeanne like a parent talking to their child after they broke something valuable.

At first the devils didn't understand why Shin said that statement the way he did, until the noticed a tiny, barely visible, sweatdrop appear on Jeanne's face. This made their eyes open wide.

 _[S-She's just pretending!]_ they all thought in unison.

Indeed, Jeanne came to almost as soon as her wound began to close. She may have slipped into unconsciousness quite fast, however she regained her senses just as fast.

Though now, she knew she'd get an earful from Shin for letting her guard down, which is why she kept pretending to be unconscious, in an attempt to escape form the lecture. But naturally, from his response, it was obvious Shin already knew she was just pretending.

But even though she was indirectly called out on her bluff, she didn't move an inch, and kept the bluff going for as long as possible.

Seeing this, Shin released a sigh.

He then turned around and began heading toward the door.

 ***-grab***

"I'm coming with you."

Shin was stopped by Issei grabbing his shoulder. When the ravenette glanced back, he saw total determination on Issei's face.

Hearing the brunette's words, Shin had but one question.

"...Why?"

"Because Asia is my friend! Now she's gone, and it's my fault. I couldn't protect her...And even Jeanne-chan got hurt trying to protect us. I can't let them get away with that! I could hear it a while ago, in my mind. A voice told me that strong emotions would unlock the power of my Sacred Gear. And now, I'm finally feeling a whole bunch of strong emotions!"

 ***-glow***

[BOOST!]

On cue, Issei clenched his fist, followed by his Sacred Gear manifesting and the same strong voice from before resounding.

Seeing this, the majority of those present were surprised. They could feel a different kind of power welling inside the gauntlet's jewel. It was barely noticeable, but it was there.

"Heh."

Seeing Issei's reasoning and determination, Shin couldn't help but release a short laugh. Then he looked up at the teen.

"That look in your eyes. It tells me you're not gonna back down even if I say no. But, I'm not the one you should be telling that to. Right, Rias?"

Shin glanced back at the redhead, causing Issei to follow suit.

"Haahh...so bothersome."

Rias sighed slightly, placing a hand to her forehead. She didn't look too keen on the whole situation. But Issei wasn't going to give up.

"Please allow me to go Buchou! I made a promise to Asia!"

"..."

She didn't respond right away, instead looking to be mulling things over.

 ***-sigh***

But in the end, she released a long sigh, and looked back at Issei with a small smile.

"When you're that determined, I feel like the villain if I say no."

"T-That means-!"

Rias nodded her head, making Issei's face light up.

"Earlier today, Shin-kun came to me to discuss some things. Namely, how much damage could be done to the church the Fallen Angels are hiding in. Since it's in my territory, I can't let too much damage be done to it, as it would usually belong to the Angels and it could be seen as a purposeful attack. However, after Shin told me it was abandoned, I looked a bit into it, and confirmed it has been abandoned by the Angels, meaning it's no longer a problem if a battle does take place there."

She runs a hand through her hair, before looking directly at Issei.

"Ise, normally I would refuse to let you get involved, as Asia is of no concern to us. However, after getting to know her last night, and since the church is now fair game, I can't remain silent anymore. Also, you probably wouldn't have listened to me regardless, so I have no choice but to let you go. But do remember, that from now on I **will** have to punish you for disobedience, okay~?"

"Y-Yes, I understand..."

Issei sweatdropped at the subtle threat from Rias. The busty girl then looked around.

"Well then everyone?"

"Hyoudou is my comrade, and I respect his decision to save Argento-san. Besides, I detest Fallen Angels and priest, so you can count me in."

"Those dirty crows hurt Ise-kun and Jeanne-chan, and even kidnapped Asia-chan for their own evil plans. I cannot forgive them."

"...If everyone's going, then I guess it can't be helped. You can, count on me."

"Looks like everyone is ready to help Ise."

Yuuto, Akeno and Koneko gave an affirmative response to Rias' question, making a smile appear on the redhead's face.

Seeing all his friends ready to help, brought some tears to Issei's eyes. But he quickly wiped them away and pumped his fist.

"Well then, what're we waiting for?! I have no idea how long until that ritual start, so we need to hurry!"

"Calm down a bit Hyoudou. We need some form of plan first."

"W-Well then what do you suggest? We don't have all night!"

"I know, so listen carefully. You, Yuuto and Koneko will go after Asia. Since it's your mission to save her, you need to enter the church to get to her. I managed to get rid of a bunch of Exorcists earlier today, but a good handful of them escaped. Which is why Yuuto and Koneko will go with you, to provide support and help with the remaining pests."

"And what about you?"

"Me, Rias and Akeno will go and take care of the rest of the Fallen Angels. The ritual they want to perform takes some time to prepare, so Raynare will most likely put her companions outside to take care of any immediate threats. The priests inside will take care of the remaining intruders."

Hearing the plan of action, everyone nodded their head.

"Alright, then let's go!"

"One more thing Ise."

"H-Huh?"

Hearing his name, but coming from Shin, Issei was taken by surprise.

"Ise, put your Sacred Gear forward. I'll give you a little gift."

"O-Okay…?"

Issei was a little hesitant, but followed Shin's instructions regardless, and put his gauntlet covered left hand forward.

Shin nodded his head once, and placed his hand on the jewel in the gauntlet.

 ***-glow***

[-!]

Shin's body then became enveloped in a smoky light blue and black aura, surprising the devils present. The aura then moved toward the jewel in Issei's Sacred Gear, causing it to start emitting a soft glow.

The ravenette then closed his eyes, and focused.

* * *

.

.

.

" **-?"**

Upon opening his eyes again, Shin was surrounded by a sea of darkness. Looking around, he saw he was the only one in this empthy space, however he could feel another presence somewhere around him.

Since he didn't know what direction to go in, considering he was surrounded by nothing but black, Shin took a minute to focus on sensing precisely where the other presence was.

After a while, he turned around and began walking in front of him.

He walked for a few moment, before coming to an abrupt stop.

" **..."**

His expression then turned blank, though on closer inspection, it had a hint of dislike in it.

" **Oi, red bastard. Wake up."**

 ***-kick***

Speaking blankly, Shin kicked the blank space in front of him.

However, even though there didn't seem to be anything there, the kick Shin gave hit **something**.

" **...So it really is you after all..."**

Another voice resounded in the black void, before the sound of movement came from the darkness in front of Shin.

And soon enough, a giant form became noticeable in the darkness.

 **STOMP!**

Afterward, with a giant step that echoed around the void, a red Western Dragon manifested in front of Shin. The dragon has a massive build, with spiky scales across it's body and piercing emerald green eyes.

" **It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"**

The dragon's voice revealed it to be a male.

Normally, anyone Shin's size would probably be peeing their pants at the sight of the massive dragon in front of him.

Not Shin though. He didn't seem intimidated in the least, and continued to speak in a blank tone.

" **It has. If my memory still serves me right after all these years, the last time we met was when and that white bastard destroyed the home I swore to protect with you pointless, century old squabble."**

" **..."**

Although Shin's voice didn't show any sort of negativity in it, his mere presence was leaking massive amounts of killing intent. So much, that the dragon in front of him couldn't even speak though it yet.

" **By all means, I should do like Tiamat and hunt down both of your hosts and annihilate them for what you two have done to me...But I would be wasting my time for nothing. It wouldn't change the past."**

Shin then glanced up, staring the dragon directly in his eyes.

" **So I will give a chance of redemption. Your current host, Issei Hyoudou. Although he is currently the weakest host ever, I can feel he has the potential to become the strongest. You feel it too, don't you?"**

" **...I, can't say I do yet. The boy hasn't even properly awakened my Sacred Gear."**

" **Humpf, don't worry about that. I'll give him a little bit of my power, so help speed the process."**

" **And what do you want me to do?"**

" **I want you to help him out along the way. He's got the right potential, and you'll help him become the strongest Red Dragon Emperor, got it Ddraig?"**

Shin didn't actually wait for an answer, instead turning around and beginning to walk back.

" **Hold on."**

However, he stopped when the dragon named Ddraig called out to him, and glanced back.

" **Why do you want this particular child to become the strongest Red Dragon Emperor?"**

" **...You'll find out in the future."**

That was Shin's short and cryptic response, before turning back and disappearing into the darkness, leaving Ddraig alone in the void.

* * *

"…!"

Opening his eyes, Shin found himself back in the ORC, where everyone was looking at him curiously.

However he ignored them for the moment, and focused his aura into Issei's gem.

 ***-glow***

The gem absorbed the aura and glowed brightly for a moment, before the it abruptly stopped.

"W-What the...I feel, stronger now..."

Issei looked at his Sacred Gear with amazement on his face. He then looked up at Shin for an explanation.

"I imbued a little bit of my power into the gem. You'll only be able to use it once, so I suggest you keep it for when you inevitably face Raynare. Use it to put that bitch back in her place."

"Heh, you got it!"

Both wearing smirks on their faces, the two fist bumped each other, causing a small smile to emerge on the devil's faces.

After that little moment, everyone moved out, ready to get Asia back.

.

.

.

Well, everyone bar Jeanne, who finally cracked one eye open after she heard everyone leave.

* * *

"Alright, now let's find those feathered bastard so we can go home."

Walking through the forest accompanied by Akeno and Rias, Shin looked around carefully,

The group initially teleported a little further away from the church, in order to ensure at least some element of surprise. When they got near the church, they all split up in the planned mini group where Issei, Yuuto and Koneko infiltrated the church, while Shin Rias and Akeno searched the forest for the rest of the Fallen Angels.

"Do you think maybe they're posted at different areas surrounding the church?"

Rias voiced her thoughts.

"Maybe. But if that's the case, we'll just have split up. Or maybe they're trying to split us up, and take you two out first, since they know I can wreck them."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about us, Shin-kun. We can definitely take care of some dirty crows~"

Although she said that smiling, Shin could hear a certain undertone in Akeno's voice, which made him raise an eyebrow.

' _I thought there was something different about her when we first met. And from the way she talks about Fallen Angels, I think I know what's different. It's been a while since I've seen a hybrid...'_

"By the way, why did you wait until we teleported near the church to tell Hyoudou of his Promotion ability? Didn't explain the Evil Pieces to him a couple days ago when you took on that Stray Devil?"

Shin turned to look at Rias with a questioning gaze. Said girl then gained a small sweatdrop.

"I...I forgot..."

"...Dammit Rias, you gotta stop keeping the kid in the dark. He'll seriously end up getting himself killed one day because you didn't tell him everything he's capable of.

"I'll keep that in mind..."

They kept walking for a while, until a voice called out from the trees.

"Well well well."

[-!]

Looking up, the three found what they were looking for.

"I've been meaning to meet you again, human. You've dealt quite a bit of damage to me the last time we met, so I need to pay you back for that!"

"Thinking back on it, I probably should've killed you and Raynare right then and there."

Dohnaseek scowled at Shin, and the teen reciprocated.

"Ha! As if a human like you could beat Fallen Angels like us! You probably just a lucky shot in. It's not a hard thing to do with this dumbass."

Mittelt butted into the conversation and pointed at Dohnaseek, causing him to growl and glare at her for the comment.

"You shut your trap you little whore!"

"Make me, bleegh!"

Mittelt stuck her tongue out at the man, causing him to grit him teeth in frustration.

From the ground, Rias shook her head at the scene.

"Fallen Angels certainly have a weird dynamic..."

"Hm? And who are you, girlie?"

Hearing Rias' voice, Dohnaseek glanced down at Rias.

The girl then stepped forward and introduced herself with a fake smile.

"My name is Rias Gremory, the next heir of the Gremory Clan. You three are the Fallen Angels Dohnaseek, Mittelt and Kalawarner, right? Even if it's only going to be for a few minutes, it's nice to meet you, I guess."

"Humpf, so the heiress of Gremory is here? What business do you have?"

Kalawarner spoke this time, so Rias glanced up at her.

"The girl, Asia Argento. You see, I've take quite a liking to her. Which is why I'd like to ask that you give her back to us. My Pawn, Issei Hyoudou, would also like to have her back."

"That weakling again? I thought I told him to stay out of our business. Lowly Devil is either suicidal or just plain idiotic."

"I'd prefer if you didn't talk about my servant in such a way, Fallen Angel. I do not take kindly to insults to members of my peerage."

Hearing Dohnaseek's words, Rias' eyes became sharp, and she became enveloped in a red aura.

Seeing this, the Fallen Angels smirked.

"Looks like the heiresses temper is as fiery as her hair."

"Why do you even care about what we say about him? Isn't he your servant or something?"

Kalawarner and Mittelt laughed slightly, making Rias' eye narrow even further.

"Me servant are treated as family. So any insult to them, is an insult to me."

 ***-don!***

To emphasize her point, Rias unleashed a bit of her Power of Destruction around her, eradicating a handful of trees.

However, the Fallen Angels didn't get too intimidated by that. Instead, they took it as a challenge and formed spears in their hands.

"Humpf, don't think a little power showcase is going to intimidate us girl! We'll take you down a peg!"

Dohnaseek barked that out, and all three launched their spears at Rias.

Naturally, Akeno immediately stepped in front of her King and raised a barrier, however it proved unnecessary.

 ***-craack!***

[-!]

The Fallen Angels eyes open wide, upon seeing a wall of violet ice appear in front of the two devils which caused the spears to shatter upon impact, without leaving any mark.

"Sorry, but since they're with me, I have a duty to protect them."

Releasing a breath, Shin spoke calmly. He then made the ice disappear, before glancing back at Rias.

"You don't mind if I take them out, right? It's actually what I'm paid to do."

"Paid? So this has been a job assignment for you?"

"Yup. These three went behind their leader's back, so I was contracted by the hot shot himself to take care of you traitors."

Speaking with malice, Shin looked up at the Fallen Angels, who began to feel a sense of dread wash over them.

"N-No! We made sure no one knew what we were doing!"

"Unlucky for you, I know Azazel quite well, so all I needed was to make a phone call as soon as Hyoudou was killed. That was your downfall."

[-!]

Hearing this, everyone opened their eyes wide, Rias and Akeno included.

After all, Shin said he wasn't affiliated with any of the three factions, so how come he knew the Governor General of the Fallen Angels so well he could literally give him a phone call just like that.

"D-Dammit! We've been busted! Screw Raynare, I'm getting out of here!"

Kalawarner was the first to turn back, and try to fly away.

She was almost immediately followed by Mittelt, and begrudgingly by Dohnaseek, who wasn't keep on letting Shin get away scot-free. However, if Azazel himself contracted Shin, then it was certain the ravenette was strong enough to get the job done, and he didn't plan on dying tonight.

Too bad.

"Don't think you can run away now, you cowards!"

 ***-flare!***

Black flames lit up around Shin's right arm and flared up violently, as the boy coked his fist.

"This is punishment for stabbing Jeanne! **Forbidden Fire Art! Heaven's Extinguishing Veil!** "

Exclaiming that with fury, Shin moved his arm through the air, as if violently ripping a hole through the it, before the flames on his arm created a wave of flames.

The wave flew through the air at incredible speed, almost immediately catching up to the fleeing Fallen Angels.

They turned around and saw it too, however, it was too late for them to do anything against it.

[GYYAAAHHH!]

Their screams echoed through the night sky, as the wave of flames swallowed them up, disappearing soon after to reveal no trace of the Fallen Angels remaining. Not even a single feather.

Back on the ground, Rias and Akeno watched the display with wide eyes.

"Well, no that that's over, how about we get our asses over to the church to see how Hyoudou and the other two are doing?"

Shin spoke casually, as he passed by the two girls.

"W-Wait a second, what was that?!"

"Hm? Those were the flames Jeanne talked about before."

"You posses both fire and ice magic?"

"And am quite proficient in them, if I do say so myself~"

Shin showed a proud face and stuck his chest out as he said that. Rias and Akeno sweatdropped slightly, but nodded their heads in understanding. He was right after all, Jeanne did lit slip that Shin could use some 'flames'.

"Well, I have to admit that while yes, I do remember Jeanne-chan talking about some sort of flames, I did not expect them to be so...similar to my Power of Destruction. You left no trace of those Fallens."

"Oh, that was just them being waaaaayy weaker than me. Of course, I **can** unleash even hotter flames, which are certainly unforgiving to anything or anyone standing in their path, but you and Akeno could probably have survived those flames."

""Probably, huh...""

Rias and Akeno deadpanned in unison, causing Shin to chuckle slightly.

But then, Akeno's face changed slightly before she tried to ask Shin something.

"By the way, Shin-kun...about-"

"If you're gonna ask about Azazel, stop. He's a lazy bum that contracts me frequently to solve his problems, which is why I know him. That's all."

"Actually, I was going to ask about how you feel about working for such a high ranking Fallen Angel but, I guess that's also good.."

Akeno sweatdropped slightly at Shin's interruption.

And upon hearing what Akeno's question actually was, Shin sweatdropped as well, his face turning sheepish.

"O-Oh, that's what you wanted to ask...Sorry about that, I just often get asked how I know Azazel, whenever I do a job for him so, I figured you would ask that too. But then, to answer your real question, I'm indifferent, really. Work is work, and he pays fairly handsomely...Even though the bum owes me two payments!"

 ***-snicker***

Rias and Akeno snickered lightly at Shin's silent quip about Azazel.

' _-!'_

However, while the two girls were snickering, Shin felt a certain presence near. He couldn't see anyone, but he could feel they were there. And he wasn't exactly keen on their presence being near.

"Something wrong, Shin-kun?"

Hearing Akeno's voice, Shin saw the two girls looking at him curiously.

"No, everything's fine." he shook his head and brushed the ravenette's worries off. Then he looked over in the direction of the church. "Listen, you two go ahead and join up with the others. I have a feeling something happened, so it's best if you're there to help out."

"But what about you Shin-kun?"

"I'll join you all shortly Rias. I'm just going to make sure there aren't any other Fallen Angels I didn't know about hiding around her."

"Oh, okay then. See you back at the church."

"Gotcha."

Rias and Akeno gave a short wave, before turning around and heading back toward the church.

Shin gave a short wave also, and waited until the girl disappeared out of sight.

* * *

Then, he waited a short minute, before glancing at the forestry behind him.

"How long are you gonna keep hiding back there?" he called out.

"Hmm, I knew you sensed me. Even though your power diminished, your extraordinary sensing ability did not."

A male voice called out, before the owner stepped out from the shadows of the tree.

Walking into the moonlit clearance, was a tall young man.

He wore a black coat, and the man's general facial scheme seemed to revolve around the color black and gold, with his hair being a mixture of the two and his eyes displaying heterochromia, with his left eye being black and his right being gold.

The man strode toward Shin with a barely visible smile on his face.

However, Shin eyed the man carefully, which caused him to release a silent chuckle.

"You can relax, Emperor. I have no wish to fight this weakened you. I did not train for centuries to accidentally kill you."

"Hmm? So that's what you've been doing all these years? All of your other friends were killed, and since I never heard from you again, I just assumed someone managed to best you."

"Unfortunately, none managed to achieve the same feat as you. Well, from what I can feel, the **former** you."

Hearing that, Shin's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So you know about it too?"

"...The Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat told her fellow Dragon King peers about your eventual return and made them swear to secrecy. However, one of them accidentally let it slip and some of the higher ranked dragons, myself included, now know about it too."

"Was it Vritra?"

"It was Vritra."

"Goddammit, when I get my hands on that slithery bastard, I'll personally beat some sense into him!"

After the man confirmed Shin's suspicion, a vein appeared on the teens forehead, and he exploded.

"Vritra's soul was split into several parts and placed into the so called 'Sacred Gears'. Then they were scattered around the world. Trying to find all the pieces will prove quite the hassle."

"If Tiamat can hunt down Ddraig's possessor's for hundreds of years on her own, I can find Vritra and awaken him just as well. I have plenty of connections to help me."

"You will just waste your time. Something you don't actually have a lot of."

Hearing that, Shin's eyes narrowed slightly and he stared down the man before him.

"...Explain yourself, Crom Cruach."

The newly named Crom Cruach, slightly bowed his head and explained.

"Your presence is beginning to leak out into the world, Emperor. It is how I was able to find you all the way in this small town."

"And?"

"Soon, people will seek you out. New and old enemies will come to settle the scores."

"Humpf! I don't remember leaving behind any scores to be settled. The only ones that I left alive were beings with at least some honorable traits. Beings like you, Crescent Circle Dragon."

"Maybe, but there are plenty of ways for the forgotten to return."

"? Like what?"

"..."

Crom didn't say anything else, making Shin's face turn blank for a second.

"So you don't see it fit to tell me that, huh? I forgot how weird you are..."

 _[EXPLOSION!]_

 _[BLOW AWAY, YOU SHITTY ANGEL!]_

 ***-CRASH!***

[-?]

From within the church, Issei's voice rang out loud enough for even Shin and Crom to hear. And when they looked toward the building, the saw someone fly through the glass panes and crash into the ground below.

"That power..."

"Heh. The newly awakened Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Hyoudou."

Crom looked minimally surprised by the surge of power he felt coming from the church before the crash, whereas Shin looked almost proud.

"If you want another potential opponent, then there he is."

"What? I feel minimal power coming from there."

"Well, the guy just awakened his Sacred Gear, so of course he's still weak as hell. But give it some time. He'll get stronger than you would imagine. I just know it."

"..."

Crom glanced at Shin for a brief second, before releasing a breath.

"Then I shall hold you to it, Emperor."

The man then turned on his heels and began walking away. But not before leaving Shin with one final message.

"Remember my warning. I have waited for centuries to get our rematch underway and now that you have finally returned, I will not allow you to vanish until I can fight against you again. Until then, do not die...Dragon God Aeryon."

With those parting words, Crom's forms slowly vanished from sights once he stepped back into the shadows of the trees

Left alone, Shin sighed heavily, before turning on his heel and going back to the church.

* * *

A while later, the ravenette walked out of the forest surrounding the church, finding himself in the backyard.

Walking closer, he saw the backdoor was open and he began hearing some familiar voices.

"Too bad. Our plan was kept secret from the higher-ups, but there are other Fallen Angels with me! If I'm in danger, they'll certainly-"

"Your friends are nothing but a wasted memory now."

[-!]

Shin made himself known by interrupting Raynare, who paled when she saw him.

"L-Lies!"

"You say that, but why don't you take a feel around. See if you can sense them."

Shin spoke calmly as he walked closer to the tied up Fallen Angel.

She tried to keep her composure, but soon realized that Shin was indeed speaking the truth, when she felt no trace of her companions anywhere near the church.

"Earlier, Shin-kun and I had a short lived discussion with the Fallen Angels Dohnaseek, Kalawarner and Mittelt. Of course, I knew of your plans before hand, thanks to Shin-kun, but I still wanted to see if they'd divulge the info on their own. Unfortunately, they tried to attack us and were quickly disposed of by Shin-kun. Now, only you remain."

Rias said that coldly, causing Raynare to feel even more fearful.

The redhead then glanced at Issei, who was leaning on Yuuto's shoulder for support, due to the wounds that Raynare caused in their earlier fight.

Particularly, she noticed the new marking on Issei's gauntlet.

"Would you look at that. The mark of the Red Dragon..." she mumbled to herself, before turning back to Raynare with a barely visible smirk.

"Fallen Angel Raynare, do you want to know why you lost against this boy? It's because you underestimated him and his Sacred Gear. You believed it was nothing more than a Twice Critical right? Well, the reality is that this boy's Sacred Gear is actually one of the thirteen Longinus. The middle-class Longinus, Boosted Gear. Even someone like you has heard of the name, yes?"

Hearing that, Raynare's eyes open wide.

"B-Boosted Gear?! The power to temporarily surpass even Gods and Maous...you're telling me that hateful power is possessed by boy like him?!"

"That's right." Shin took over the explanation from Rias. "Boosted Gear, the Longinus that grants the title of Red Dragon Emperor. This Sacred Gear allows it's user to double their power every 10 seconds. You thought that since it was a Twice Critical, it would only double his power once, and doubling a power of one would only result in 2. Not with Boosted Gear though. 2 will turn into 4, 4 will turn into 8 and 8 will turn into 16. With enough time, the user could surpass even God. And that's the mistake you made. You let the battle drag out, and you lost."

"I-I can surpass even God?!"

Issei was shocked at hearing the piece of information.

Rias turned to him with a smile, and patted his head.

"Theoretically. However, since it takes so long, it's a big risk in battle. As Shin-kun said, the only reason you managed to win, is because Raynare underestimated you. But no need to worry. You'll get stronger and get better at using it in the future."

At Rias' words, Issei's face dropped considerably.

"Yeah...getting stronger..."

The boy then glanced behind him at one of the benches.

Following the line of sight, Shin saw Asia's body laying on the bench, skin pale and not moving an inch. Not even to breathe.

"B-Buchou...Kurokawa...I couldn't protect Asia...I-I'm sorry..."

"...It's fine, Ise."

Although visibly upset at Asia dying, Shin didn't show any particular hostility toward Issei, which surprised even the brunette himself.

Rias didn't particularly upset, but that's because she knew death for a human wasn't necessarily the end.

"It's sad to say, but Asia's death couldn't be helped Ise. You were simply too inexperienced. But you don't have to worry, everything will be fine soon, I promise. But before that, I need you to promise me you'll get stronger so such a thing won't happen in the future. I'll train you myself, but you need to be ready for it, got it?"

"..Yes."

Issei nodded his head strongly, igniting a smile on Rias' face. However it vanished, before the redhead turned back to Raynare.

"Now then, it's time to take out the trash."

Rias' eyes turn sharp and ruthless, and her tone is cold and unforgiving.

"Also, I'll be taking back Asia's Sacred Gear, as it doesn't belong to you."

"N-No! You can't be serious! This power is for Azazel-sama and Shemhazai-sama-"

"Those guys couldn't care less about you possessing Twilight Healing."

Once again, Shin took over.

"With or without a Sacred Gear, the fact still remains that you're going to die, and that Sacred Gear is going back to Asia. Now accept your fate."

Shin's tone was even colder than Rias, causing all the remaining color to drain from Raynare's face.

Rias then spoke once again.

"All your subordinates and comrades are dead, Fallen Angel Raynare. And you will now join them."

What Rias said was final, as the girl summoned a blob of PoD in her hand.

This was the end, however Raynare had one more trick up her sleeve. A final spineless attempt at saving her own skin.

"Ise-kun! Please, you have to save me!"

[-!]

Raynare's voice changed, now mimicking the innocent Yuuma that Shin and Issei met on that fateful day, taking the two teen by surprise.

"This Devil is trying to kill me Ise-kun! You're not going to let her right? I love you after all! I love you with all my heart! So please, let's defeat this devil together!"

Raynare's last ditch attempt as saving herself was to call out to Issei's compassion, by making him remember their date.

And it visibly affected Issei, for the briefest of seconds. However, he turned his head away from Raynare, making her lose all the hope she had left.

"Disappear, you pathetic vermin."

 ***-flare!***

 **DON!**

Before Rias could fire her PoD at Raynare, Shin's flames ignited and obliterated the Fallen Angel into oblivion, once again leaving no trace whatsoever.

It it's stead however, a soft green light floated down.

"T-That's..."

"Twilight Healing." Rias cupped the light in her hands, smiling at Issei. "Asia's Sacred Gear. How about we return it, hm?"

"Huh? But, Buchou...Asia's dead..."

"Seriously Hyoudou, sometimes I think you would even forget that your head is on your shoulders."

"E-Eh?"

"Shin-kun is right Ise. Are you forgetting how you are capable of standing here?"

"What...w-wait, you mean?"

Rias gives but a simply nod.

"Asia's Twilight Healing could provide great support. That's the role of a Bishop Piece, a piece which I coincidentally still have in my set." Rias showed Issei a small red Bishop piece, which made Issei's eye widen.

The redhead then walks over to Asia's corpse, and places the Bishop on her chest.

 ***-glow***

Her body then becomes enveloped in crimson demonic power, as she starts chanting.

"In the name of Rias Gremory, I order you. Asia Argento, I resurrect you back to this earth as my servant, reborn as a devil. As, my Bishop, be delighted with your new life!"

Once Rias finished her chant, the chess piece glows and sinks into Asia's chest, along with he Twilight Healing which followed suit.

After confirming the piece was gone, Rias stopped channeling demonic energy, and released a sigh.

Issei is confused at first, but soon enough, he sees Asia's eyes flutter open. The sight causes tears to roll down his cheeks.

"H-Huh?"

Asia's speaks with uncertainty, glancing around her. Her eyes then land on Issei and everyone else.

"...I-Ise-san? Everyone?"

 ***-hug!***

Almost immediately, Asia is hugged by a crying Issei, who utters just one sentence.

"Let's go home now, Asia."

* * *

A while later, after everyone had returned to the clubhouse, Shin stayed behind.

He was currently sat on one of the benches in complete silence, his phone in hand.

"Today has been one hell of a day."

"If even you say that, then some serious shit must've gone down."

Although there was no one else present when Shin said that, a voice answered him almost immediately. The teen then glanced over his shoulder into one of the shadowed corners of the room.

"Took you a while, Azazel."

"Traffic, what can I say?"

Stepping out of the shadows, was a man looking to be in his thirties.

He had medium sized black hair, with the front part of it being gold, and sharp violet eyes, as well as a small goatee. His attire consisted of a simple suit with slacks and leather shoes.

Walking closer to Shin, the man known as Azazel wore a small smirk on his face.

"I'm guessing everything turned out fine in the end?"

"Well, Asia was turned into a devil, but at least now she get's to be with friends. So I guess all turned out okay."

"Alright. Bummer that we lost Twilight Healing, but oh well. Raynare and the others?"

"Burned into nothing."

"I see. Well then, I guess you've technically fulfilled your mission."

"Just like how you 'technically' owe me two payments."

Shin showed a smirk toward Azazel, who rolled his eyes at the boy.

He then produced a silver suitcase from somewhere, and presented it to Shin.

Taking the suitcase, the ravenette opened it to see a whole bunch of cash just chilling inside it.

"The two payments I owed you. Hope we're even know."

"Not quite."

"Aw goddammit, what did I forget now?!"

Shin released a chuckle at Azazel's little outburst. He then showed the man his phone.

Taking a closer look at the screen, Azazel's eyebrow raised, before he glanced back at Shin.

"Flight tickets to Rome?"

"Two way, along with car rental and a hotel. May take someone else with me, so I'll keep you posted."

With that, Shin turned on his heels and began to walk away, his teleportation circle appearing under his feet, and teleporting him back to the clubhouse where everyone else was.

Left alone in the church, Azazel shook his head while chuckling, and followed Shin's example, teleporting away.

* * *

 **Aaaand...that's a wrap!**

 **Phew~ Quite the long chapter, eh?**

 **I initially wanted to make this into two parts, but eventually decided to just make it one long chapter when I realized I had too little for two separate chapters. But at the same time, there was quite a bit for just one chapter as well, so I had to trim some things I deemed unimportant.**

 **But anyway, what a chapter it was. A whole lot happened.**

 **As I said last chapter, things happened a little differently than in cannon.**

 **Firstly, Asia actually got to meet the ORC before the showdown at the church.**

 **That in turn made Rias more willing to help out than in the LN. At least she was visibly more willing, meaning she didn't need to act secretly.**

 **Then we had Asia's little day out with Issei and Jeanne! I also tried my hand at writing in the Light Novel's P.O.V style, which was admittedly quite fun.**

 **I tried to make the final scene of the little outing before Raynare showed up touching, but I feel like it didn't quite deliver, as I'm not good at writing sappy moments yet. Then again, even the original scene felt a bit rushed, at least to me.**

 **And then some other general stuff that people could've expected, like Shin taking care of the three Fallen Angels and stuff like that.**

 **But I bet y'all didn't expect Crom Cruach to show up, did'ya?!**

 **It was first as a short appearance, where he was hinted at, but in the end I decided to make him have a full appearance toward the end, in order to set up some things that will happen in future chapters. Wink Wink~**

 **And his appearance was coupled with some revelation, some to Shin and some to the readers~**

 **He'll make another appearance very soon, I can tell you that much, and he'll be joined by someone else~**

 **But yeah, with this chapter, we bring Volume 1 to an end!**

 **The next few chapters will be mainly filler chapters, but there will be some important plot related stuff scattered throughout, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.**

 **Also, before I forget. As you can see on my profile, the Milicas poll has ended. And in the end, people voted for Milicas to go.**

 **That means, the little guy won't exist in this story. That's what voters chose, so that's how it will remain.**

 **Now, for the Harems~**

 **Shin's Harem: Serafall, Yasaka, Jeanne, Akeno, Kuroka, Gabriel, Tiamat, Grayfia, Roygun, Rossweisse, Koneko, Irina, Sona, Ophis, Kunou, Ravel, WIP.**

 **Issei's Harem. Rias, Asia, Xenovia, LeFay, WIP.**

 **Since no one suggested any new girls for either Shin or Issei, nothing has changed.**

 **So yeah, I guess this was it for this chapter- Leave a review, tell me what you thought and I'll seey y'all-**

 **BUT SIKE, YOU THOUGHT!**

 **I decided to do a little special segment from time to time.**

 **BEHIND THE SCENES!**

 ***wooo!***

 **In these segments, the story is a TV show, and the characters are the cast. They are still themselves, only they'll be just humans and whatever happens in this story will be just acting in these segments~**

 **I had some fun ideas, and was inspired by a certain story I read a long time ago, where there was a special segment called 'Elmen's Corner', where the characters would read questions asked by reviewers.**

 **The story is called 'The Little Sitri' by makotoxchelia, so go and check it out if you want.**

 **But yeah, if you're still here, here's what I believe would happen after the camera turns off~**

* * *

Azazel walks away and stops. Then, little sound effects start playing around him.

 ***-CLAP***

"CUT!"

As soon as the sound effects stopped, the loud sound of boards clanking against each other resounded through the 'church', followed by the voice of a man coming from the side.

"Pheeww~" Azazel breathes out in relief, before the church around him is disassembled in seconds, as it was nothing more than a few painted Styrofoam walls.

He then glances around him, where a whole crew of people sat on chairs, operating different cameras, mics and light projectors.

"Was that good?"

"Yup! The camera stopped rolling. We're done!"

"Alright, finally."

"What do you mean 'finally'?" glancing to the side, Azazel saw Shin sitting on a chair next to the sound guys, looking at him amused. "You only have a short scene at the end. **We** are the ones who have been acting all day."

"Oh, suck it up Shin, you all are still young."

"You're not that old Azazel-san, so you don't get a cop out!"

"Alright, jeez..." Azazel sweatdrops and begins to walk away, waving his hand. "Didn't you want to do that little 'Behind the glass' segment? Get on with it and stop picking on me."

With that, Azazel disappeared into the studio, most likely going back to his trailer, or to the bathroom.

Shin on the other hand, opened his eyes in surprise at what Azazel said.

"Oh yeah, the special segment! I completely forgot!"

"Here you go, Shin-san."

"Ah. Thank you very much Melissa."

As soon as he finished his exclamation, Shin was handed a camera from a young woman with light brown hair, who after being thanked, disappeared among the crew.

Shin shrugged his shoulders lightly, before turning the camera on and placing it in front of him.

"Alright everybody, this is going to be a special behind the scenes, meet the actors kind of thing! OK, it's pretty much just a normal vlog. Anyway, let's go see what everyone else is up to!"

Shin then turned the camera back around and left the set.

* * *

 **Shin P.O.V**

Alright, everyone should probably be chilling in the rec room, so let's go check there.

Thinking that, I expertly maneuver past crew member walking about, dodge random equipment placed around and soon I find the door I'm look for. The recreation room.

 ***-open***

I open the door, and as expected, I see the majority of my fellow actors chilling around, talking with each other.

"Hm? Oh, hey Shin! Finally got the scene done with Azazel-san?"

Issei, who is chilling on one of the bean bags with Jeanne and Asia, waves at me and asks me that.

I smile and peak from behind the camera when I answer.

"Yeah, it took a few tries. Damn lines kept getting my tongue all twisted, so I couldn't get it on the first try. But listen to this, Azazel-san was relieved it was 'finally' over."

When I say that, a few of the guys laugh.

"First day on set and he's already complaining?"

I hear Koneko-chan's voice.

Looking over, I see her lounging on the couch together with Rias.

"No, he wasn't complaining. But it certainly sounded like it~"

"It was probably just comedic relief. I've met Azazel-san before, it's what he does."

"-Aah Jesus!"

I suddenly hear a voice behind me, causing me to jump up in surprise and stumble on the ground. Fortunately, I save the camera from smashing into a hundred pieces.

Looking back, I see a beautiful young woman with silky black hair and hazel eyes. She also has a teasing smile on her face while she looks down on me.

"A-Ah, Kuroka-san? What are you doing here?"

I stutter slightly as I fix myself from the fall. Then I hear Kuroka-san speak.

"I have some scenes to film for some future episodes. But until the crew gets ready, I decided to chill a bit with you guys. Why, did I scare ya Shin?"

She keeps her smile when she asks that. I have a feeling she was planning on scaring me from the beginning…

"N-No! I was just...surprise is all!"

She giggles at my response!

"Sure, if that helps you sleep at night, cutie pie~"

She winks at me with a cute expression.

We haven't met Kuroka-san all that often before, but ever since the first time I think she may have gotten a shine to me. Not that I mind, as she is quite attractive.

Argh, this isn't the time to be thinking of these kind of things! Focus Shin! Filming!

"Hmm? By the way, what're you doing with the camera Shin?"

Kuroka-san points at my camera, and what she said gains everyone else's attention as well.

"Oh yeah, I didn't notice the camera when you came in. What's the occasion Shin?"

Yuuto looks up from his comic to ask me. Quite the achievement I just got. He usually just reads comic books when the camera isn't rolling. Guess any camera will make him pay attention to what's happening around him.

"Oh this? I talked with the producers about letting me borrow a camera from time to time, so I can shoot some bonus behind the scenes kind of footage. Y'know, to give the viewers a little extra whenever an arc is over."

"Behind the scenes?"

I hear Akeno-chan's voice coming from one of the other rooms.

The ravenette then popped her head through the little window opening, with a curious expression.

"Yup! I plan on filming the crazy stuff we do after the camera's stop rolling, to give some extra entertainment. Kinda like Marvel's Bloopers, y'know?"

"Crazy stuff? You mean like when you actually tripped during the welcoming party scene and busted your face on the floor?"

Rias snickered without looking up from her phone, causing the others to snicker too.

Hey, this isn't what I meant!

"Or during the Kendo spar scene, when your boken flew out of your hand and cracked you over the head?"

This time it was Jeanne, causing the guys to laugh again!

That was an accident! My palms were sweating from the earlier takes!

"Or when you messed up the accidental kiss scene with Grayfia-san."

NOOOO! DON'T BRING THAT UP!

"Ahaha, I heard of that one! Wasn't it the time Sayaka-chan didn't move, and you ended up doing the kiss scene with her? Never tried something like that myself, but I bet she was quiet wet~"

DAMMIT ASIA, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE INNOCENT BLONDE!

"Y-You all promised not to talk about that!"

[Whoops~]

At least try to sound convincing!

I look behind me, and I see Kuroka-san's face turning red, from how hard she's trying to hold in her laugh!

Uwaaa! Thank you for not laughing outright, but it's not funny! I had to brush my face and teeth five times after that!

"I hear a lot of laughing back here. Did I miss something?"

That voice!

I turn around to look at the entrance with hopeful eyes. And my wish is granted!

Walking through the door is Grayfia-san, wearing some casual clothes. She's the only one who never picks on me. My savior!

"Grayfia-saaan! Everyone is picking on me agaaaain!"

I immediately run over and hug her body, tears leaking from my eyes. Grayfia-san's presence is calming to me. I always hug her when the others make fun of my mistakes on set.

Now, you all may be thinking I'm just a crybaby, or can't take a joke -and while you might be right-, they always take it too far.

Don't get me wrong, we're all still very much friends, but I wish they'd stop teasing me on accidental mistakes!

Grayfia-san understands my pain, as she wraps her arms around me and pats me on the head. She then speaks in a soft voice.

"Now now~ Tell me what's wrong Shin-kun? What are they teasing you about?"

"T-They're laughing at me for the time I m-messed up the accidental kiss scene!"

"-pfft!-"

Grayfia-san just sputtered! She thinks it's funny too! Uwaaaaahh!

"E-Even you are laughing now!"

"N-No, I'm sorry! It just slipped, I promise!"

That means you've been holding it back before and now you accidentally let it slip! You're on the same boat as everyone else.

Speaking of, I can hear them all laughing again!

That's it, I'm ending his segment!

"A-Ah, that's it! This segment's over everyone! Before they get embarrass me even more! Bye!"

* * *

 ***CLICK***

 **End of transmission~**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A reunion and a showdown on the beach!

* * *

A few days have passed since the battle at the church.

After Asia's resurrection, everyone returned to the ORC where they officially welcomed Asia as a Devil, giving her the same briefing Issei when he was first introduced.

After that, she was allowed to bunk in the clubhouse until she found some other suitable housing.

That meant that the clubroom had pretty much become Asia's apartment for the last few days.

And today just so happened to be laundry day, providing for a very risky meeting territory.

As Issei found out, the moment he walked through the door.

"Hey Buchou. Everyone, I'm he- H-Huh?"

He began greeting everyone, however stopped mid-sentence when he felt something cling to his face and obscure his view.

"...Eh?" peeling it off, the brunette was at a loss for words when he saw the piece of fabric on his face was a pair of white panties with a little pink ribbon.

"...You should probably stop staring, pervert."

"A-Ah, Koneko-chan! I-I wasn't..t-this is.."

Hearing Koneko's voice coming from behind him, Issei quickly turned around to see her staring at him disapprovingly, causing him to blush in embarrassment and try to stutter an excuse.

From her oak desk, Rias watched bemused. Then made her own presence known.

"I see you've finally arrived Ise."

"Y-Yes, good morning Buchou!"

Naturally, hearing the redhead's voice, Issei turned to her and bowed.

Raising his head back up, he looked around the room, seeing the rest of the ORC wasn't present.

"Yes, good morning. It seems you've managed to get accustomed to the morning."

"Yeah, though it took a while. If it wasn't for my mom, I probably would've fallen back asleep all week. B-But it's also because of you."

"Is that so? In that case I'm happy~"

Rias then stood up and walked over to one of the couches, gesturing for Issei to have a seat opposite of her. She continued once they were both sat down.

"What about your wounds? Better?" she asked, looking at Issei's legs.

"Y-Yeah, a lot better. Asia's healing power is something else. I felt like I could've passed out any moment during the whole ordeal, but everything was better once she healed me."

"Hmm, that's the power of Twilight Healing. It's a good thing I had a spare Bishop, so I could reincarnate Asia. Such a power is a great asset to a devil."

"Yeah. By the way..."

"Hmm?"

Hearing Issei's shift in tone, Rias looked at her servant curiously.

"Buchou, you said the Evil Pieces are like the real chess pieces, right?"

"Yes, that's right? Why do you ask?"

"Well, that means you can technically have 7 others like me, right? Since there are 8 Pawns in total."

Hearing this, Rias was surprised for a moment, before giggling lightly.

Hearing the giggle, Issei looked up confused. Then he watched as Rias stood up and wade her way behind him, before draping her arms around his neck.

"You're worried you'll be replaced by another Pawn? That's a cute side you're showing Ise, but you've no need to worry. You're the only Pawn I need~"

"H-Huh?"

"Fufufu~ You see Ise, when reincarnating a human, it's not as easy as I made it seem with Asia. Sometimes, a devil will need to use more than one piece to summon someone. And that depends on the person's ability and potential."

She then began to stroke his cheek lightly, before continuing.

"There's a saying in the world of chess. Each special piece is worth a certain amount of pawns. A Queen is worth 9 Pawns, Rooks are worth 5 and Knights and Bishops are worth 3 Pawns each. It's the same when reincarnating. Some people require two pieces when being reincarnated, such as two Bishops or maybe two Rooks. Though you can't combine pieces to give the one reincarnated different roles. And once a devil uses their Evil Pieces, they won't get new ones, so choosing which Piece to use and what to use it for is important."

"O-Ok, but...how does that relate to me at all?"

"Ise, I used up all my Pawns when I reincarnated you. Otherwise, I couldn't have made you into a devil."

"-!"

Hearing this, Issei's eyes flew wide open. The news were quite shocking, after all.

"When I first found out about the potential hidden inside you, I decided I definitely wanted to make you part of my peerage. However, I couldn't find the reason for that. Until a few days ago, that is. Your Sacred Gear, is said to be supreme. And because of that, the value of your souls was increased greatly. That's why I could only use all 8 of my Pawns to resurrect you."

Issei glanced at his left hand, where his Sacred Gear would appear, with amazement.

' _H-Holy crap...My Sacred Gear made me that valuable, huh? I guess it makes sense, since it's the embodiment of incredible power, that could even kill a God...'_

"When I was trying to resurrect you, I only had a Rook, a Knight, a Bishop and eight Pawns available. The other pieces couldn't bring you back, because you were most compatible with the Pawn. To begin with, the value of a Pawn is unknown, not to mention the ability of 'Promotion'. So I had to take a gamble with that, but in the end, you turned out to be the best~"

Rias finished her explanation with a happy smile. She then began brushing her fingers against Issei's face, leaning in close to the boy.

"And also, our matching is great too. My crimson and your red. The Crimson Ruin Princes and the Boosted Gear's Red Dragon Emperor. It has an awesome sound to it, doesn't it?"

"W-Well, I can't say it doesn't, hehe.."

"That's what I thought too~ But Ise, first and foremost. You must strive to become the strongest Pawn, alright? Since you're my adorable servant, I have no doubt you can achieve it. You just got to work hard for it."

As she said that, Rias leaned in further, bringing her lips upon Issei's cheek.

Feeling the soft touch, the brunette's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

After that, Rias leaned back with a little smirk, and subtly glanced behind her.

"I probably should stop adoring you like that. At least here. Otherwise our newest resident might become jealous~"

"Huh?"

"I-Ise-san…?"

"A-A-Asia?!"

Issei was at first confused by what Rias said, however it all cleared up when he heard Asia's voice come from behind them. Naturally, he immediately turned around, seeing Asia standing there trying to smile, which made Issei sweatdrop.

She then began to mumbled to herself.

"O-Of course it's like this...After all, Rias-buchou is quite beautiful and has a nice body, so of course Ise-san would like her...A-Ah! No, no, I can't think like that! Envy is a deadly sin! Oh, please forgive my sinful heart, Lord."

 **PANG!**

"-Auu!"

As soon as she finished her prayer, Asia was struck by a jolt of pain running through her head, causing her to yelp and clutch her head.

"I have a headache..."

"Well, of course" Rias replied normally, looking at Asia. "You're a devil now. Naturally, God doesn't take too kind to us praying to him, so we feel pain when doing so."

Hearing that, Asia deflates a bit.

"Yes, I forgot. I turned into a devil. I'm sure I can't face God anymore..."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Asia."

"-!"

Hearing a new voice, the three teens looked back at the door to see Shin and Jeanne walk in. Shin was looking directly at Asia when he spoke, before Jeanne took over.

"If anything, I think God isn't able to face you anymore, Asia-chan! After all, he allowed one of His most devout followers to be killed by a bunch of baddies. If I was Him, I would be the one begging you for forgiveness~"

"S-Shin-san, Jeanne-san..."

"They aren't wrong Asia." Rias agreed with the new arrivals. "But all things considered, do you regret turning into a devil?"

"No, I don't."

Asia's answer came right away. She then showed a smile toward Issei.

"As long as I'm with Ise-san, the circumstances don't matter. I'm happy as long as I'm with him."

"-!"

Issei promptly blushed at Asia's heartfelt words. Rias, along with Shin and Jeanne also smiled.

Even Koneko, who had been silently watching everything unfold from her chair in the corner, showed a slight smile at the moment.

Rias then spoke again.

"Well then Asia, since you're now a devil as well, you will have to work hard along with Ise."

"Y-Yes, I will do my best!"

Asia nodded her head determined.

As she did, Issei finally seemed to notice something different about her. Shin and Jeanne did the same.

The fact that Asia was now wearing Kuoh's girl uniform.

"Asia, that uniform..."

Asia blushed slightly at Issei's question and spoke shyly.

"D-Does it suit me?"

"Yes! It's the best! Let's take a photo with just the two of us!"

"E-Eh, y-yes."

Shin and Koneko sweatdropped at seeing Issei take out his phone and taking a selfie with Asia, the blonde looking confused as to how to react, but gave her best smile regardless.

 _[That pervert better not do something inappropriate with that picture…]_ the two had the same train of thought, and as if feeling it themselves, they glanced at each other and gave a nod of recognition.

 _[Ah, blooming romance~]_ Rias and Jeanne on the other hand, looked on with happy smiles.

The redhead then decided to explain the situation.

"I decided to enroll Asia at the academy, so she can have an easier time living out a normal life. Since she's about the same age as you Ise, she'll be a second year. She'll also be in the same class as you. Today's her first day, so make sure to look after her, alright?"

Issei was surprised, turning to Asia who bowed her head.

"I will be in your care, Ise-san."

From the side, Jeanne and Shin glanced at each other with knowing faces. Turning back, Jeanne slung her arm around Asia's shoulders.

"Asia-chan, you'll also be in the same class as me and Shi-chan! Since you know the big bad wolf himself, you don't have to worry about a thing~ All the boys are scared of him, so you don't have to worry about anyone other than Ise-chan hitting on you~"

"H-Hitting on me? People are going to try and hit me?"

Now Shin and Rias glanced at each other knowingly, snickering lightly.

From the other side of the room, Koneko perked up and spoke for the first time ever since Issei entered the room. Her message, was simple.

"...If someone tries to hit you, you tell me and I'll hit them back. Alright, Asia-senpai?"

"A-Alright, Koneko-chan."

Hearing the affirmative response, Koneko nodded her head strongly and returned to eating her sweets in silence.

"Also, stay clear of Hyoudou's friends, Asia. They're hopeless perverts, just like him."

Lastly, Shin threw in his own two cents, causing a vein to pop up on Issei's forehead.

"H-Hey, don't tell her that! They're good guys when you get to know them!" he then turned to Asia and grasped her hands. "Don't listen to Kurokawa. I'll introduce you to them and you'll see they're good guys, okay?"

"Yes, I'll be looking forward to it."

Asia smiled at Issei, while everyone else watching on the side shook their heads slightly.

 ***-open***

"Ah, it looks like we've arrived a little late. Good morning Buchou. And also good morning to you all as well, Ise-kun, Shin-kun, Jeanne-san and Koneko-chan."

"Ara ara. I feel like we've missed something important Yuuto-kun. Good morning everyone~"

As the door opened, Yuuto and Akeno walked in, each giving their own entrance statement.

Looking around the room, seeing everyone was present, Rias cleared her throat and clapped her hands.

"Alright, since everyone is here and we still have plenty of time left before class, how about we start the party?"

 **-click**

 ***POOF***

Rias then clicked her fingers, and a big cake appeared on the coffee table, surprising the newer members of the club.

The redhead then began looking a little shy, and her tone matched the expression.

"I think it's good to have such gatherings from time to time. A-And since we got so many new members, I took it upon myself as president to make some cake. S-So let's eat it together, shall we?"

Hearing this, everyone allowed a smile on their faces.

* * *

Until Shin grabbed Issei's shoulder as the two turned away from everyone, who raised an eyebrow.

"W-What's wrong Kurokawa…?" Issei almost felt afraid just asking that. There was a certain air around the ravenette, that was unsettling.

"Look Hyoudou. I'll be blunt. I can't say me and Asia have been close enough for me to act as protective over her as I do with Jeanne. Which is why that job falls unto you now...However."

 ***-grip!***

' _G-Gh..!'_ Issei felt Shin's grip on his shoulder tighten, and he had an idea as to what was coming next.

Shin then continued with an eerie smile and a low voice.

"That girl's innocence is one of a kind, got it? And it's your job to protect it, at all costs. If **anything** happens to that innocence, you can be sure what's going to happen next...right?"

"U-Uh-huh..." Issei nodded his head so fast it looked like it was going to fly off if he continued.

"Alrighty then! Glad to see we're on the same wave length, Ise-kun~"

Shin's whole demeanor changed, as he turned himself and Issei back to the party at hand.

[…] where all the onlookers, bar Asia for obvious reasons, sweatdropped at the exchange. After all, Issei's pale face was more than enough of an explanation to what Shin told him.

"I-Ise-san you've gone pale in the face! Are you not feeling well?"

"N-N-N-No, everything's fine Asia, really!"

It was only natural that the innocent Asia didn't pick up on what the real reason for Issei's state was, and offered to help which Issei kindly refused, in a very panicked manner.

* * *

A while later, everyone had found themselves a spot to sit on and were enjoying their slice of cake.

Shin, Jeanne and Akeno were sat on one of the couches, while Issei, Asia and Rias were sat opposite respectively. Yuuto and Koneko were also say nearby, with the boy being situated on a chair at one head of the table while the small girl was sat at the other.

There was some idle chatter, until an interesting question came up, courtesy of Yuuto.

"So, I'm curious. Since the school week is almost done, what's everyone planning to do this weekend?"

"Hm? That's actually a pretty interesting question Yuuto. Do you already have any plans?"

"Mhm. Me and Jeanne-chan are going to watch the Kendo Club's tournament. Though I was surprised when I found out she was actually coaching some of the members for the past days."

Hearing this, Issei and Asia opened their eyes in surprise.

The rest of the ORC already figured out Jeanne could use swords, based on the brief touch on the subject during her first appearance at the clubroom.

"Eh? Jeanne-chan, you can use swords?!"

"Fufufu, of course I can. Shi-chan and I were both once part of the church, Ise-chan. They use swords there. Primarily Holy or enchanted swords, which are my specialty~"

"Yes, I do remember you saying you could use Holy Swords when Shin-kun first brought you here. But, you said something of Excalibur's caliber is too strong for you. So what Holy Swords can you actually use?"

Rias was curious, so she asked the blonde outright. Said girl had no problem answering.

"Well, the ones I make of course~"

 ***-glow***

[-!]

To everyone's surprise this time, Jeanne extended her hand before a silver European sword was created out of thin air into her hand, which was radiating Holy energy. It wasn't massive, but it was very clear.

"A-A Holy Sword?"

"But that's...just like Yuuto's.."

Akeno and Rias were honestly taken by surprise, while Yuuto was at a slight loss for words. Koneko was also surprised, however she took it in strides, keeping her usual poker face, bar her eyes opening a little wider.

"This is my own Sacred Gear~ It's called Blade Blacksmith and just like Yuuto-kun's Sword Birth, it allows me to create tons of swords at will, only mine are Holy Swords~"

"So you have a Sacred Gear as well? Hmm, so that's why I was getting the same feeling from you as with Ise and Shin-kun. Say, would you be interested in joining my peerage Jeanne-chan? I still have a Knight piece left, and having a Holy Sword wielder would be an almost unbeatable asset against other Devils. Especially since Shin-kun said he trained you himself, I've a feeling you have a great skill set."

Naturally, Rias' nature as a devil shone through, so she had to ask the bubbly Jeanne on the chance she'd actually agree. Of course, she had a feeling she wouldn't get a new knight, given how she stood by Shin and quite possibly his own ideals, but it was worth a try.

"Mmhh..."

Though surprisingly, Jeanne seemed to mull it over.

"-?"

Even Shin was looking at her surprised. That was a rare thing to see, so Rias gained some hope.

.

.

"...Nah~"

"Guh..."

In the end though, Jeanne turned down the offer, causing Rias to sigh as if she just took a major blow. Everyone else giggled slightly at the sight.

But she didn't remain down for longer than a minute and once back up, she returned to matter at hand.

"Well then. I know what Yuuto and Jeanne-chan are doing this weekend. But what about you Ise? And Asia? Are you two planning to go on a date this weekend~?"

[D-D-D-Date?!]

At Rias' question, Issei and Asia blushed bright red, clearly embarrassed at the notion.

Though they didn't deny it.

"Fufu~ It was only a joke you two, no need to get so worked up." Rias released a slight chuckle, before turning to Shin, who had been peacefully sipping his tea.

Though he soon felt eyes on him, looking up to see everyone look at him questioningly.

"...What?"

"What do you plan on doing this weekend, Shin-kun?"

"Going to the beach."

 ***PFFFTT!***

"-WHAT?!"

As soon as Shin gave his response, Jeanne spit her tea out in shock, following it up with an equally shocked exclamation.

"..."

Shin wasn't exactly pleased with it though, as she ended up spiting her tea all over his face, something that made Issei begin to snicker.

"You're going to the beach without me?!" Jeanne exclaimed, completely unfazed by the fact she spit her tea on Shin.

The boy simply took a handkerchief from the table and used it to wipe his face, before taking a deep breath and exhaling.

"Jeanne, I already asked you whether you wanted to come with me or not."

"W-Wait you did…?"

"I did. And your response was, and I quote...'Sorry Shi-chan, can't talk right now. I have to make sure Katase-chan and Murayama-chan are fully prepared for their match. Talk to ya later!'...end of quote. And after you came home, you pestered me about reserving you and Yuuto a spot, after which you went to bed."

Hearing this, Jeanne stopped functioning for a moment, searching for the exact moment when she said that in her brain. And after a short moment, her eyes opened wide.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"Life's not fair Jeanne~"

Shin responded in a sophisticated tone, sipping his tea gratefully, causing Jeanne's face to turn red and pout.

Seeing this, Shin's face shifted from sophisticated win to looking as if he accidentally stepped on a puppy's tail. Something inside him didn't allow him to have Jeanne upset like that.

"-*sigh*" Shin exhaled through his nose loudly, before going into his pocket and fishing out a ticket. "It's a good thing I'm used to you not registering what I say, so I had a fail safe in case you started acting childish again."

Shin then handed the ticket over to Jeanne, who glanced at it curiously. Taking the piece of paper from the ravenette's hand, she began reading the information on it.

However, there was no need as Shin began explaining for everyone.

"That's the address of the resort I'll be at for the weekend. You can join me as soon as the matches are over."

At that, Jeanne glanced at the ticket once more, before looking up at Shin with a questioning expression.

"But Shi-chan...The resort is in a different country..."

 _[-!]_

The devils in the room all opened their eyes wide. However, Shin didn't look affected in the slightest.

"I know. The Kendo Tournament is taking place very close to a private airport, owned by Azazel. Once the Tournament is over, you take a cab over and there'll be a plane waiting for you. After that you'll be brought to the reservation by someone."

"Wait a second. Shin-kun, you're staying at a resort in a different country for just two days, but when it came to buying Koneko two smoothies you were short on cash?!"

Rias couldn't help but question that, to which Shin gave a normal response.

"I didn't say I was short on cash, I said I was on a budget. That budget includes other, more important expenses which I can't waste."

[…]

Everyone bar Asia and Jeanne looked at Shin blankly, not believing a word he just said.

"...I think you're just really stingy Kurokawa." Issei didn't hold back, being extremely blunt with what he said.

Hearing Issei's retort, a vein formed on Shin's forehead.

"Oh boy-!"

And when even Jeanne moved away from Shin and hid behind the couch, it seemed that things were about to take a very bad turn.

Shin then began speaking in a low voice.

"Oh I'm sorry. Please, excuse me for not wanting to spend the money I've literally **risked my life for**! Maybe next time I get a contract, I should let you do it instead! Let's see how long you last against various S-Rank criminals and traitors!…Dickhead."

It started out slow, but soon turned out into an outburst from the teen that took every devil in the room by surprise. Mostly by the fact that just before he finished, Shin instinctively pulled his shirt collar down to show a few evident scars on his chest and collarbone.

Rias and her peerage now realized this subject may not have been the best one to bring up. And they understood why, when seeing Shin's scars. Freelancing for the supernatural could very well land you in tough spots, and obviously Shin has had his fair share of them.

"..." at the outburst, Issei was left looking sheepishly with nothing else to say.

"Tch. This is why I need a break already…!"

Mumbling that, Shin placed his tea and cake down on the table, stood up and promptly left the room, leaving an awkward silence behind.

* * *

"..." everyone was silent following Shin's exit, with Koneko borderline glaring at Issei, who began to sweat.

Even Akeno, who still held a small smile on her face, was clearly not happy with Issei.

Then, Jeanne's head peaked up from behind the couch.

"Well, now Shi-chan's triggered. Could be all day with it..." the blonde mumbled, pouting slightly.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't expect him to explode like that..."

"Oh, don't worry Ise-chan. He'll be fine soon enough. I-I think...He might not come off as such when you first meet him, but he's actually quite hot-headed and temperamental. He's like a child in that sense. Though he was better when we were in Kyoto...I guess having lived in peace and quiet there, made him more irritable here…?"

"If even you don't know for certain why he's like that, then Shin-kun must be a very complex character..." Rias mumbled to herself.

Jeanne heard it though and although she kept a small smile on her face, her voice gave away how she really felt.

"I agree Ria-chan. I've known Shi-chan for years now, and yet I feel like I barely know him sometimes..."

[…] Everyone fell silent after that.

For even Jeanne to say something like that, it made everyone else question what they thought they knew about Shin.

Well, one thing they all knew for certain. Shin didn't take kindly to having his personal information divulged to anyone other than the people closest to him.

And yet, it seemed even those people didn't know everything, which was slightly concerning. Because if people like Jeanne didn't truly know Shin, then was there anyone who did?

But in the ensuing silence, Jeanne stood up and clapped her hands slightly.

"Welp, that's how it's been for a while, so I'm used to it. I know Shi-chan will open himself up to the right person at the right time. Even if I'm not that special someone, then I don't mind~ As long as it happens~"

Although she was clearly the one most impacted by the current situation, Jeanne bounced right back up as usual.

The devils had to admire her strong will, and ability to just bounce back up like that.

"I'll go and look for Shi-chan now~ You probably won't see him until next week, but I'll keep you all posted! Laters~"

 ***-open***

 ***-close***

And with that, Jeanne was out the door in search for her long time companion.

"...I've said this before, but I feel the need to say it again. Those two have a very special dynamic."

"Indeed..."

After those two quick remarks from Akeno and Rias, the whole party mood was a little spoiled, so they all just decided to clean up and went on their way to class afterward.

And as Jeanne predicted, Shin wasn't present at the school for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Haahh...I think I got a little too heated back there..."

Following a teleportation back to the Kurokawa residence, Shin laid himself on the couch with a tired expression.

Sayaka was already by side the moment she felt him return and was now chilling next to her master. Kurome was **somewhere** in the house, though Shin wasn't exactly sure where.

"Dammit, everything just seems to be getting more and more complicated as the time moves on. Honestly, sometimes I just feel like giving up on it...my goal..."

His expression was conflicted for a second, all sorts of emotions flashing in his eyes.

But they all soon vanished as they usually did, being replaced by the same steely gaze Shin got whenever it came to his 'plan'.

' _No, I can't give up. I haven't wasted centuries waiting for both of my halves to reunite, just to give up when everything is ready at my finger tips...But my other half is still dormant under all those seals though, so I have to see how to break them and release it...'_

Thinking that, Shin's expression changed once again to a pensive one.

' _Hmm...Maybe that's why. The reason I'm having all these doubts now of all times...Through all of my past reincarnations, it looks like I've once again regained a range of human emotions. Or maybe, I never lost them in the first place...'_

At that moment, and image flashed in his mind.

The image of a young girl, no older than 10 years old with long, unkempt brown hair and big green eyes. Her skin was fair, covered in some mud and a few scrapes, and had an innocent expression on her face.

 ***-drip***

"-?"

Feeling something wet on his cheek, Shin reached up and touched it lightly, feeling a single tear.

' _Tears huh...So it was the latter after all...'_

Then, his fist tightened, as another emotion flashed in his eyes once again.

Grief.

' _Dammit...what would've happened if I hadn't saved you that day, all those years ago? You would've been another unfortunate soul to die to the elements, soon to be forgotten by time. Hell, you didn't even have a name. No one would've cared in the slightest.'_

' _..And yet, me of all people did. Deep down, I cared. Looking back on it now, I know it's because you had the same hidden ability as Asia...Dragon taming. That's what drew me to protect you...and yet, I failed you...Cyra.'_

 ***drip* *drip***

' _Even after finding you a family and watching over you as you grew up...I couldn't protect any of you in the end. Not the elder, not the village, not you and not even your daughter...It seems my life is just a pile of failures. No matter how strong I am, I can never protect those I care about...'_

' _And yet, even though I can't protect anyone, I always end up drawing more people to me…! Even all those millenia ago...We were the most feared creatures! Our power worried even God, to the point He created one more with a single, absolute mission. To eradicate us all, from the weakest last Trumpet all the way to...me. And yet...I lived. All the others were killed, but I was spared. By the very machine sent to kill me. Against God's configurations, she spared me and took me under her wing...protected me!'_

' _...But when those four came down to finish us both...I couldn't protect **her**...'_

 ***-sniff* *sniff***

"…?"

Shin was brought out of his internal turmoil when he felt something's breath against his fingers.

Glancing down, the boy saw his pet husky looking up at him with something that looked like worry, which caused a small smile to break out on his face.

"Heh, so it's true what they say. Dogs can feel when something is troubling their masters. Thanks for trying to cheer me up girl. C'mere~"

With that, Shin picked up the dog and began cuddling her with a happy expression, seemingly turning into an innocent child who had just received his first puppy.

* * *

 ***-open!***

"Shi-chaan! Please tell me you're here! I'm tired of running!"

As that was happening, Shin heard the front door open, followed by Jeanne's voice calling out.

The blonde then appeared in the hallway, causing Shin to look like a deer caught in headlights, while Sayaka was simply chilling in Shin's arms.

"..."

"..."

There was silence between the two teens. The both just stared at each other.

"-AHEM." until Shin cleared his throat and threw Sayaka to another part of the couch, swiftly crossing his arms and legs in an attempt to look like his usual cool self. "S-So...I see you've returned."

"Yeah, I did...Were you cuddling with Sayaka-chan?"

"N-No, of course not! I was just...j-just searching for tics! Yeah, t-that's it! I'm a man, so there's no reason for me to cuddle anything, even if that something is cute...and fluffy...and makes me feel good inside..."

"..."

Shin immediately grabbed Sayaka again and hugged her against his body.

"...Alright I was cuddling her."

"Shi-chan, you know I'm not going to laugh at you for enjoying cute things~ Everyone loves cute things, and Sayaka-chan is the cutest!"

"Nyaa..."

"A-Ah, Kuro-chan! Of course you're one of the cutest things as well! Please don't get upset!"

Kurome had now also made her presence known, with the sad meow she released when Jeanne said Sayaka was the cutest.

And naturally, Jeanne began apologizing to the feline, who simply walked past her and climbed unto Shin's shoulder.

"Nooo...Kuro-chaaann..."

Jeanne's eyes were leaking tears when she saw Kurome ignore her. She felt hurt.

"Honestly, sometimes I think we are nothing more than an entertainment show for others to watch, with how over the top your reactions are."

"Okay now, let's not be hypocritical Shi-chan. Your reaction to Ise-chan's remark was also a little over the top."

"..Yeah, you're right. I got a little too heated..." Shin sighed at the memory of his earlier outburst.

"It's fine Shi-chan. No one was mad, probably because they realized you've been through your fair share of tough spots while freelancing for the money."

"It's just...I despise hearing people question the things I've worked hard for. I don't even know when this dislike started..."

"Well, it's not really important when it started. What's important is to acknowledge it, and work on holding it back. Ise-chan didn't know, so it wasn't fair to snap at him like that."

"Yeah, you're right...I guess I'll have to apologize to him when I get back."

With that, Shin placed Sayaka and Kurome back on the couch, and stood up.

"W-Where are you going Shi-chan?"

"I'm going to go pack. I'm going to call Azazel to tell him to get me a plane ready to leave for tomorrow. Everything that's happened ever since coming to this town drained me more than I expected."

"O-Oh, so you'll be leaving early huh..." Jeanne's face dropped, upon hearing that Shin wanted to leave early.

Seeing this, Shin was struck by a pang of guilt once more. However, this had to be done.

' _This is also for her own safety. As well as everyone else's. I can't let them get caught up into my business. This path is mine alone to take, and I need to think carefully to how I'm going to tread on it.'_

He thought that, but his heart was still affected by the sight of Jeanne's sad expression.

"Jeanne."

"Hmm..?"

 ***-pat***

"-!"

Jeanne heard Shin's voice call out to her, so she looked up. However, she was surprised when she felt his hand land on her head.

Looking at the boy in front of her, the blonde saw a solemn expression on his face.

"You're easy to read when you're sad Jeanne. You're sad that I'm leaving early, leaving you alone. But you're not alone. It's not just us anymore. And it's not just you and Kunou anymore either. Now you have plenty of friends to keep you company for one day."

Shin then glanced down slightly, before continuing.

"I'm sorry if I seem so distant lately. I know you don't like being alone, due to what happened at the church years ago. But no matter how distant I may seem, I want you to know that I will not let anything harm you. And everything I'm doing is to ensure that stays true. I will protect you, no matter what."

"..." Jeanne was left momentarily speechless by Shin's words. She did not expect to hear them, especially not at this time.

"Wow, Shi-chan...I dunno what to say...It's very unlike you to say things like that~"

"Sometimes you have to break character to properly get a message across."

 ***-hug***

With that, Shin wrapped an arm around Jeanne's frame and brought the blonde close to his body.

She didn't resist and didn't reply, only wrapped her own arms around the boy in front of him and allowed the hug to continue for a while.

"Nyaa~"

"*-woof*

From the sidelines, Sayaka and Kurome watched on. And both pets showed their happiness through the respective meow and bark.

Shin and Jeanne continued embracing for a little while after that, before separating and deciding to make a dinner together. After all, school was almost over now, and there was no reason for them to return for one or two periods.

Thus, they joined forces to create a nice dinner, which after a few short attempts turned into delivery pizza, which they enjoyed regardless.

After that, Jeanne took a shower while Shin packed some of his stuff for the short vacation, before the two went to bed, the next day rolling by like a breeze.

* * *

 **~I know you want me~ You know I want ya~ I know you want meee~**

Now, pimping inside a private jet, courtesy of his ties with Azazel, Shin was enjoying the good things in life. Music and a nice cocktail, along with Anime playing on the mini TV.

Looking out the window, Shin saw his destination come into view.

I was a nice little island, away from the main land surrounded by crystal clear waters all around. Focusing on the island, Shin could even make out the reservation he had to himself for the next two days, until Jeanne joined him for the final two.

"Hm…?" However, Shin also saw something curious on the island.

From what he could make out, a little distance away from the resort, there seemed to be another clearinh. It was too small to be a full on resort, but it seemed big enough to fit a dozen people at least.

"I think it may be a trailer park..." the ravenette mumbled to himself.

" _You're right there, kiddo~"_

"-!"

Shin mumbled to himself, however he was surprised when he received an answer.

Quickly looking in front of him, he noticed that the mini TV now displayed Azazel's smirking face on it.

"Azazel? What's that other clearing down there?"

" _Well, you should already know that we, the Fallen Angels, do business in a similar way to the Devils. It's our only way to get substantial incomes nowadays. So, obviously, I can't have just a simple resort on that island. Do you know how expensive that floating piece of garbage is? Thus, I also needed to create some more affordable ways for traffic, so to speak. That's where that nice little trailer park comes into play! The resort is for those fancy, high class humans who like the expensive way of life, while the trailer park is for those who would like a nice little getaway at an affordable price. Believe it or not, it's actually starting to generate more traffic than the resort."_

"Huh. Interesting. Is there anyone currently having their 'nice little getaway', as you so put it, down there?"

At that, Azazel smirked lecherously, making Shin lightly regret his question.

" _Hehehe..."_ a lecherous laugh, to go with a lecherous smile. _"You betcha. I didn't actually get the chance to get in contact with however rented it out for the next few days, the procedure was done through our digital secretaries, but I do know that it's a school class. And here's the kicker...it's a girls only class! Isn't that great? All those youthful tits and asses. Dammit, I wish I could've joined you right now!"_

"..." Shin's face was blank, hearing what Azazel just said. In fact, the teen looked a little creeped out by it. "...I think you should probably not say something like that on devices that can be recorded."

" _Pff. Like I care. What's the worst that can happen? The FBI knocks on my door? Please, I'm the Governor General of the Fallen Angels! Mere humans in funny outfits couldn't hope to stand up against me."_

"Yeah, I wasn't talking about the FBI. Your own secretaries could record all of this, since you're broadcasting it from your HQ."

Hearing that, Azazel's eyes opened wide in realization.

" _You don't mean..."_

"If Penemue catches you slacking off and thinking about high-school girls, you'll get in trouble again."

" _Y-Yeah, but only if she catches me~"_

 ***KNOCK* *KNOCK***

" _ **Azazel-sama, I've noticed you've been talking to Shin-sama for a bit now. And I'm certain I've heard a topic being brought up that I've warned you not to discuss while on duty."**_

"Ah, speak of the devil~"

" _Gah, shit! Crap, I gotta go! Take some pictures of those tiddies for me Shin!"_

 ***-click***

And with that, the transmission interrupted, as Anime returned to the TV.

Shin sighed lightly, and shook his head bemused, before returning his sights out the window, looking down at the trailer park with curiosity.

' _I thought I'd have the island to myself, but it looks like that's not gonna happen. Though the resort and trailer park seem to be far enough from each other to not disturb one another. So as long as those girls don't annoy me, we'll be all good.'_

Shin then returned to his nice cocktail, leaning back in his chair and relaxing to the sound of Mr. Worldwide's music.

* * *

A while later, the private jet landed on the small private airport of the resort.

Stepping outside the aircraft, Shin slung his luggage over his shoulder and took in his surroundings. Nothing but trees all around, the smell of salt water in the air, and the gentle sound of waves on the beach.

The beach wasn't even close to the airport, but it was so silent that the sound of the waves traveled with no difficulty.

"Haaa...This atmosphere is nice. I can already feel more at ease."

Shin sounded relaxed already, and his expression showed that as well.

He then made his way over to the car waiting to take him to the resort, throwing his bag in the trunk and getting into the passenger seat.

"Hm? Sir, do you not want to get into the co pilot seat?" the driver of the car was slightly confused. Shin shook his head lightly.

"As the name suggests, the co pilot seat is for the one who's supposed to be co-piloting. I don't know anything about this islands road and the very reason I'm here is to relax a bit. Co-piloting doesn't fall under that category."

"I see. Very well then sir. Let us be on our way to the resort~"

And with that little exchange finished, the driver pushed the gas pedal and the car took off toward Azazel's resort, which from the ground looked a lot more massive than from the jet.

The drive was short, lasting not even five minutes. Of course, that's because it was an island with only two destinations, one of which was completely empty in preparation for Shin's arrival. And the other one was in a completely different direction.

* * *

Stepping out of the car, Shin was greeted by a beautiful young woman with brown hair tied into a bun, looking to be in her early twenties. She also wore a formal light blue business suit and black heels.

"Good day to you. Mister Shin Kurokawa, I presume?"

"Uh, yeah. Hey, can I ask what you-"

"'-Are doing here?'", Shin nodded his head slightly, causing the woman to chuckle. "I'm the manager of this resort. Even if Azazel-sama closed the resort to outside bookings for your stay here, someone still needs to take care of the management duties. Unless you'd like to make sure everything is in running condition every day?"

"Y-Yeah, I think I'm gonna skip out on that..." Shin responded with an awkward sweatdrop, while the woman smiled brightly.

"Great! Then I guess we'll be seeing each other for the following few days. I understand there'll be another person joining you this Saturday?"

"Yes, I promised her I'd take her to the beach again, and couldn't keep her at home. But she also has some other stuff to take care of first, which is why she'll be arriving after me. But we'll be leaving together."

"I see. Well then I'll make sure to have her room prepared by the time she arrives. But for now, please follow me and I'll show you to your suite."

"Yeah, just a sec. Gotta grab my bag."

"Do not worry about that. The majority of the staff is present, including the baggage handler. He'll take your bag to your suite in a moment. Now let's be on our way. I also need to show you around the resort, so you know your way around, at least a little bit."

The woman then turned on her heels and began walking away, so Shin threw another quick glance at the trunk, before turning and following the woman.

The two then walked through the majority of the resort, with Shin being introduced to the places he'll most likely be arriving at often. Namely the restaurant, the cocktail bar, the pool as well as the showers.

"Of course, you have a fairly large bathroom inside your suite as well, but in case you happen to get dirty while outside, we ask that you use these showers so as to not bring the dirt inside."

"Alright, makes sense. Anything else?"

"Hmm, not that I can think of right now. But in case something pops up, you can find me at the reception. Although, since no one else is going to arrive for a few days, I guess I may take a break at the jacuzzi by the poolside from time to time. You know, in case you'd like to join me~"

Shin caught the subtle wink the woman gave him, and raised an eyebrow amused.

"How old are you again, Miss Receptionist?" he asked jokingly, implying that the woman behaved like a young girl working a summer job, instead of a professional employee.

The woman chuckled, before replying in a teasing tone.

"Fufu, I'm old enough to know what I'm doing~"

There was a certain sexual undertone in the woman's voice, which caused Shin's heart to beat a tic faster.

' _Dammit, why do I have a thing for older women...'_ he thought, swallowing a little as he saw the woman walk in front of him with a sway in her hips.

Fortunately, they arrived at Shin's suite, putting an end to any further sexual stimulation.

The woman then turned to Shin and produced a key card which she handed to Shin.

"That's your key card, Kurokawa-san. Please keep in mind you will be staying in Azazel-sama's suite for the next few days, so keep that key card on you whenever you leave the room. The locks on the doors are state of the art and if you lose that key card, you'll have no way of getting back inside, except with a lot of effort and quite high expenses. So please, for the sake of your wallet and my job, do not forget your key card."

"Alright, I get it. I'm not a klutz, so you can relax."

"Very well then! I shall leave you to get settled in now. If you ever need anything, feel free to use the intercom in your room to let me know. Or, you could come down in person and keep me company~"

"I'll think about it. Anyway, see you later miss."

"Please Kurokawa-san, it's only us and the rest of the staff at the resort. Feel free to call me Melissa~"

"Hmm, then also feel free to call me Shin. Anyway, see you around Melissa."

"See you, Shin-kun~"

And with that, Shin swiped his key card through the lock and disappeared behind the door.

* * *

Inside, Shin was once again reminded of Azazel's eccentric and high class style of living.

The room was quite large in itself, with a big balcony and great view over viewing the entire resort.

The inside was furnished with expensive leather chairs and couches, glass tables with intricate carvings, large wardrobes and a massive flat screen TV hung on the wall. There were also various antics spread around the room.

' _Oh yeah, Azazel's collector habit. Though these pieces seem interesting...'_

His eyes wondered around the room for a few moments, until they landed on the massive King size bed in front of the TV.

Seeing it, Shin deadpanned.

' _I think I know why that bastard has such a big bed...and I'm no longer looking forward to sleeping in it.'_

With a sigh, he went over and plopped himself on the bed, staying completely still for a few moments.

' _Well, now I'm here. A few more people than I expected, but I guess I can deal with that just fine.'_

The boy then stood up and walked over to the balcony, taking in a deep breath.

"What a beautiful day it is..."

Shielding his eyes from the blazing sun, Shin took a glance down at the massive beach a little further away from the resort. Then he glanced at his own skin for a moment.

"Hmm...I guess I could work on my tan a little. It's been a while since I've been out in the sun."

He then turned around and located his bag which was placed in one of the corner of the room.

Walking over, he quickly fished out a pair of black swimming trunks with neon blue highlights, along with some sun screen.

Then he vanished into the large bathroom, in order to change.

A while later, he reemerged dressed in his swimming trunks and a light color vest with a hoodie. His skin was glistening from the sun screen, and his black hair was slicked back and kept in place by a black and white snapback cap.

"Alright, let's go see what this ocean has to offer. Gonna remember not to swallow the water though. Salt water is nasty as fuck..."

Shin then walked out of his suite, making sure to grab a pair of sunglasses, his towel and most importantly, the key card.

* * *

A while later, the ravenette was now camped out on the beach.

 ***-siiip***

"Aaahhh~"

Under the protective shade of the large beach umbrella, Shin took a sip of his iced tea and released a satisfied sigh. He then leaned back in his beach chair, and pulled up a book from the little table to his side.

As he read, his mind wandered back to a previous conversation he had.

' _The Khaos Brigade...She'll definitely ask me whether I'll join it or not. If I'm going to pull through with my plan, that's probably going to be the only place for me to go for a while. Hmm, though that could prove to be useful...'_

He then glanced up from his book, his eyes scanning the broad horizon.

' _The unending horizon...Always reminds me of times gone by. But it also reminds me of something else.'_

Shin's eyes then narrowed slightly, as they released gleaming streaks.

' _The end of the world...you'd think it would be an unreachable place, both physically and metaphorically...and yet it exists. That's where **it** is sealed away...and now with this Khaos Brigade business...'_ glancing up at the clear blue sky, Shin released a sharp breath. _'I don't think even you know what you've set in motion...Ophis.'_

Finishing that thought, Shin closed his eyes and let the calming sound of the sea help clear his mind of any other lingering thoughts.

And before he knew it, sleep had overtaken him.

But he was in line for a very rude, round and bouncy awakening.

* * *

A little while after Shin drifted off to sleep, the voices of multiple females resounded in the distances.

And no later, about a dozen girl looking to be in their late teens appeared on the beach, quite a distance away from Shin.

"Woow, look how big the beach is!"

"I know! I've never been somewhere so..tropical~"

"And hot! I'm melting over here..."

"You'll be fine, don't worry~ This is the first time we left the North for somewhere tropical ever since we started the academy, so just get a cold drink and enjoy the nice tan you'll get!"

It seemed this was the first time these girls have ever been on a beach, and most of them showed their excitement quite clearly.

The rest just quickly set up their beach umbrellas, to get out of the blistering sun. The majority of them had fair hair or a pale complexion, so it was understandable that they didn't want to sit around in the tropical sun for too long, as they ran the risk of getting a sun stroke.

The rest though were perfectly fine, and immediately began dropping the casual clothes, revealing various types of bikinis. Some were more revealing than others, some were more colorful, but all of them showing the young women's curves.

What was certain, is that perverts like Azazel and Issei would be having a blast if they were present. Not Shin though, mostly because he was asleep, but also because he knew how to hold himself back.

Once they undressed, the girls headed toward the water, some of them jumping in right away, only to regret it as the cold truth of temperature difference hit them hard.

But while the other girls went out for a swim, there was one girl that stayed back.

She was a beautiful young woman with long silver hair, tied into a low ponytail with a few accessories like flower clips, fair skin and bright blue eyes.

The bikini she wore had a mixture of purple and light blue, along with a transparent skirt tied around her waist. However, it was mostly obstructed by the Hawaiian shirt she wore.

Due to her light hair and complexion, the girl hid under the shade of her umbrella and had her face buried inside a book.

It was curious, why she was on the beach but didn't partake in the same beach activities as everyone else.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself Rose? Why aren't you swimming in the ocean with your friends?"

"A-Ah, Granny?!"

The young girl was surprised when the voice of an older woman came from behind her, causing her to shriek in surprise and look back.

Behind her was an elderly woman, wearing a deep blue flowing dress, with a straight posture and a fearless gaze.

However, she looked down at the young girl with a smile.

"You can study all you want back at the Academy Rose. We're here as an end of the year field trip! You should go out there and enjoy yourself, like the rest of the girls your age~"

"I-I'm just trying to make sure I know everything for the finals Granny! I don't want to fail!"

"Rose, you are worrying yourself way too much. Take it from me, out of all the girls in your class, you are definitely the strongest and smartest."

"You're just saying that because I'm your granddaughter, aren't you?"

"Come now Rose. Sure you are my favorite granddaughter, but what good would inflating your ego bring?"

The woman then sat down next to the girl named Rose, and grasped her shoulder.

"You need to learn to kick back and live a little Rose. This is why everyone is picking on you! By the way, on that note. When are you going to bring home a boyfriend?"

"B-B-Boyfriend?! D-Don't you start too! I don't need a b-b-b-boyfriend right now!"

"Rose, you're almost twenty something years old. If not now, then when? I've already lived this long, I want to also finally see my great grandchildren!"

"I-I'll find a boyfriend after I become a good Valkyrie! I also can't rush with this, just because you want too! W-What happens if I find the wrong one?"

"But you already know someone that fits the bill, don't you? What was that young man's name?"

Rose's grandmother grasped her chin, and seemed to think hard about something. Then, she opened her eyes wide, as realization hit her.

"Ay yes, now I remember! Shin, that was his name~"

At the mention of the name, Rose's face turned about as red as a tomato, with steam coming out of her ears. She then hid her face behind her book.

"N-Nononono! I-I couldn't possibly date Shin-kun..."

"Here we go again...And why do you think that dear?"

"W-Well, I just...I mean he's...a-and we couldn't...I-I-I just can't be talking 'bout that right now!"

' _The dialect is shining through again. Why does she get so embarrassed when talking about this boy?'_

"Once again, you're worrying too much Rose. You two seemed so close when he arrived in the north. And that other girl as well...what was **her** name…?"

"H-Her name was Jeanne-chan."

"Ah yes, Jeanne! The bubbly blonde. You three spent quite a lot of time together during their stay with us in the north. So can you honestly tell me there's no chance of Shin **maybe** feeling some sort of attraction toward you?"

"W-Well...ya know I can't...B-But he been with Jeanne much longer than we been together, so she probably be having more chance with him than me!"

 ***-bonk***

"Yowiee!"

Rose yelped upon being bonked on the head by her grandmother.

"Being a pessimist doesn't suit you Rose. You can never know for certain unless you woman up, and take a chance to ask him out!"

"..W-Well, I don't even know where he is right now, so even if I wanted to I couldn't ask him.." Rose mumbled, holding back her dialect and talking normally again.

However, the grandmother showed a ghost of a smirk, throwing a quick glance in the distance, before responding cryptically.

"Oh, I think that won't be much of a problem Rose~"

"..?" Rose was confused by what her grandmother said, but couldn't question it when one of the other girls called her.

"Hey Rossweisse-chan! We're one player short over here! Think you can put down the book and play some volleyball with us?"

"W-Well-"

"She'll be down there in a minute sweetie!"

"G-Granny?!"

Before Rose could even begin her sentence properly, her grandmother answered for her, causing her daughter to look up at her in shock.

The woman merely smiled and her grandchild, taking the book out of her hands against the silverette's protests.

"You've been invited by your classmates Rose, it would be rude to refuse them. Now you're going to leave this book here with me, while you go out there and have fun, okay?"

"B-But.."

"No buts! The only 'but' I want to see is yours when you jump after the ball and land with a jiggle~"

"G-Grandmother!"

"Now go ahead Rose! The others are waiting~"

Although red from embarrassment, Rose didn't argue with her grandmother, and begrudgingly made her way out into the sun and over to the volleyball court, where some of the other girls were ready to play.

And so, the game was on once Rose joined.

Although it was a slow start for the young woman, she got better and better as the game progressed. She even seemed to be enjoying it, as she was now playing quite competitively.

"-Hyah!"

 ***-smack!***

"No, the ball!"

Maybe a little too competitively, as she ended up smacking the ball way too hard, and sent it flying into a very unfortunate direction.

The very direction our midnight haired protagonist was peacefully asleep.

* * *

 ***whooshh***

 ***-BANG!***

"-GAH FUCK!"

Naturally, it didn't last long until the ball reached it's target, and hit Shin square in the face breaking his sunglasses, sending his snapback cap flying off and busting his lip a bit.

The impact also caused him to jump up in surprise and fall face first into the sand, while the ball bounced a little further away.

"A-Ah, oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

Rose immediately called out worried, and hurried over. She didn't even know there was someone else present on the beach, so she had no idea who she hit.

"Ghh...damn, I was having such a nice dream too…!" Shin mumbled through a mouthful of sand, which he then spit out.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that! I-I didn't know there was anyone else here, so I didn't hold back! A-Are you okay mister..?"

Rose then reached the boy and crouched down, trying to help the boy to his feet.

However, as soon as Shin turned around, Rose's eyes opened wide in shock.

"S-S-S-Shin-kun?!" she exclaimed loudly.

Hearing the shock in the voice, as well as his name being called out, Shin immediately glanced up at the girl, only to open his eyes wide as well.

"R-Rossweisse?"

The two of them kept staring at each other in silence, both too surprised to say anything.

Fortunately, Shin quickly snapped out of it and broke the silence.

"Rossweisse..? What are you doing here?"

"W-Well, I'm here with my class on a field trip...B-But I could ask you the same, what are **you** doing here?! I thought we were the only one on the island!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. As for why I'm here, well you'll notice I'm in need of regular vacations nowadays. My body won't be able to sustain me much longer otherwise, eheheh~"

Hearing this, Rossweisse glanced down at the teens body, an expression of shock appearing on her face upon seeing how scarred his torso was.

Cuts, burns, bullet wounds, stab wounds, it was almost like a canvas for different types of wounds, some of them overlapping.

"By the Gods, what happened to your body Shin-kun?!"

The ravenette chuckled at the question, standing up and dusting himself off as he did.

"A lot of things happened. Some good, a whole lot bad as you can see, but at least Jeanne and I are alive and well~"

"T-Those scars...Does Jeanne-chan also have-"

"No, she's fine. Other than the ones you remember, I've made sure all possible scars landed on me and not her. She's just fine and dandy."

"I-I see..."

"Rose, are you alright back there? Is that young man alright?"

From behind them, the voice of Rossweisse's grandmother called out.

When she turned around, Rossweisse saw her grandmother along with the rest of the girls that were playing volleyball approach them.

Following the silverette's line of sight, Shin also saw the new audience.

"Ah, Gondul-san. It's been a while, hasn't it? Have you been well?"

"Yes, it has indeed young Shin~" the woman named Gondul gave the teen a smile, before she noticed the same thing Rossweisse did about Shin's torso. "My goodness, what happened to your body boy?"

 ***-gasp***

The rest of the girls also gasped in unison upon seeing the scars.

The unwanted attention made Shin's sweatdrop and scratch the back of his head.

"It's taken it's fair share of action, I'd say. But you don't have to worry, any wound I sustain now, as long as not lethal, will eventually heal. All of these happened after we parted ways, while Jeanne and I were still traveling. And before you ask, she's just fine."

"Tsk tsk tsk. I had a feeling you'd end up with a few 'life marks' on you, but I never expected something like this...It's like life itself has it out for you boy."

"I asked myself that plenty of times before..." Shin laughed slightly at Gondul's observation.

"I'm sure you did...But I guess you and Jeanne are fine now? Have you finally found a place to call home?"

"That we did. After a few years we ended up in Japan, where the leader of the Youkais took us in. She became our mother, both metaphorically and quite literally~"

"So you're technically the son of a leader now? I'm certain that comes with a lot of privileges, huh?"

"Well, sometimes. Though I'll probably get in a whole lot of trouble when I get back, since I forgot to tell her I'm here..."

"B-But then how did arrive? You need to take a plane here, not to mention the island is owned by the Governor General of the Fallen Angels."

Rossweisse read up on their field trip location, so she knew Azazel was the owner of the island, and by extension everything on it.

"Oh that? Yeah, I had to call in a favor from Azazel. A few things happened back in our town and I needed a little escape."

"Hoh? You know the Governor General? My, you've been up to a lot after we last saw you off. I'm certain Odin-sama would love to hear your stories."

"Heh. That old pervert is still alive?" Shin laughed slightly, causing Gondul to follow suit, along with Rossweisse to some extent. She still remained polite, even though the All Father picked on her for not having a boyfriend.

"Eh? Gondul-sama, how can he speak of Odin-sama in such a disrespectful manner?!"

"Yeah, he needs to be punished!"

Some of the Valkyries-in-training didn't take too kindly to it, and made their thoughts heard.

However, Gondul simply waved them off.

"Oh, don't you all start. Odin-sama has met this young man when he was still just a boy and even offered to take him in. Out of all of us, he's the only one who can get away with saying such things, so relax a bit."

The woman then turned back to Shin, who was trying to fix his sunglasses.

"But to answer your question, yes. Odin-sama is still very much alive. And he is indeed still quite perverted. Well, when he's not picking on my poor Rose that is."

At that, Shin turned to Rossweisse with an upset expression, while the girl blushed.

"That old fart is still picking on you? After all these years?"

"Y-Yes...and it's always the same thing.." she then gained some tears in her eyes, which caused the others to take a step back, as they knew what was coming.

"H-He always picks on me for not finding a b-b-boyfrieeend! I-It's not my fault I c-can't find a boyfriend! After all, I-I'm just a Valkyrie whose age is the same as the years she's been singleeeee! Uwaaahhhh!"

And soon, poor Rossweisse began full on crying, ending up having to hold unto Shin's body like her life depended on her, as tears just poured out of her eyes like a fountain.

All the while Shin could only sweatdrop and awkwardly pat the silverette on the back, waiting for her to let everything out, while the rest of the spectators watched on from the sideline, feeling a little bad for Shin having to deal with Rossweisse's antics.

A while later, the tears finally stopped, the girl letting go of Shin's body and taking a step back with an embarrassed blush on her face.

"I-I-I'm sorry about that S-Shin-kun...I don't know what came over me..."

"It's fine, don't worry. Everyone needs to let go sometimes. Fortunately, you didn't let your dialect shine through. Ya know what me mean?"

 ***-pfftt!***

At Shin's little remark, everyone did a double take, including Gondul.

And that caused Rossweisse to look at them in shock, tears threatening to spill over once again.

"T-That dialect! Y-Ya be making fun 'o me ain't ya?! A-Ah I mean..crap!"

As Rossweisse's dialect slipped through, everyone began laughing while poor Rose pouted and cried to herself lightly, requiring her grandmother to calm her down.

* * *

Later, the sun was beginning to set and Shin was invited to chill with Rossweisse and the rest of her Valkyrie class.

They were currently preparing to make a bonfire, searching the beach for some rocks to build the fire pit and some of the girls venturing in the surrounding forestry for the fire wood.

Gondul was currently supervising, with Shin and Rossweisse sitting nearby, catching up.

"Wow, you've really been through a whole lot ever since the last time we met Shin-kun. And you're now living in the territory of the daughters of Gremory and Sitri? Aren't two of the current Maou from those clans?"

"They are. Lucifer and Leviathan. I met both of them a while ago, along with Beelzebub when Leviathan threw a welcoming party for me."

"A welcoming party?" Gondul quipped from the side curiously. "Why did Leviathan throw a welcoming party for you?"

"Well, I'm technically her Queen now. She wanted to introduce me to some of the hot shots in Devil Society."

Hearing that, both Gondul and Rossweisse were surprised.

"You're Leviathan's Queen? But...I can't feel any demonic energy from you..."

"That's because she couldn't actually reincarnate me into a devil. The spirit in my Sacred Gear won't allow me. That's why I'm her Proxy Queen, until she finds someone suitable to reincarnate.

"Wait a second, you can't be turned into a devil because of your Sacred Gear? I didn't even know you had a Sacred Gear Shin."

"That's how it is."

"But, how does your Sacred Gear prevent you from being turned Shin-kun?"

"Because it contains the soul of the Dragon God of the Destruction. It's power prevent the reincarnation process."

"-!"

Hearing the name, Gondul was shocked. And it displayed clearly on her face.

However, Rossweisse seemed to be confused, which surprised Shin. That's because everyone who had been in the supernatural for a while seemed to know recognize the name.

"T-The Dragon God of Destruction? Who's that..?" the silverette turned to her grandmother for answers.

The woman seemed to think back on things with a serious expression.

"That Dragon God was a calamity that roamed the land centuries ago. A dragon whose power made even Gods want to avoid him."

"E-Even Gods were afraid of him?!" Rossweisse exclaimed surprised, as Gondul nodded her head.

"Yes. It was one of the few documented encounters with that dragon. And unknown God crossed the dragon's path, and was ripped in half with a single swipe. It was over before he knew it. And the dragon went on his way as if that God was a mere ant his foot."

"By the Gods..."

Gondul's granddaughter was left in awe at what she heard.

"Shin, if that soul residing in your Sacred Gear is really the Dragon God of Destruction, then you best be careful. That dragon was also recognized as an Evil Dragon in a lot of factions across the world. Those kind of dragons are the worst, because of their self destructive and violent nature. Do not let that corrupt you."

Gondul said that sternly, surprising even Rossweisse.

Shin was silent for a minute, before shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't think you've any reason to worry. Aeryon has been sealed under a number of forbidden seals, to the point not even his consciousness can come through. It's been confirmed by one of the Dragon Kings."

"So one of them confirmed it huh..." the old Valkyrie nodded her head in understanding, but there was still a hint of doubt in her voice.

Silence befell the three for a while, until a certain question was asked by none other than Gondul.

"So, do you have any girlfriends yet Shin?"

"-Eh?"

"G-Granny, what kind of question is that?!"

For Shin, the question came out of the left field, making him stop functioning for a moment, while Rossweisse reprimanded her grandmother, who simply shrugged her shoulders.

"What do you mean Rose? He's a young man now, there has to be someone that interests him. Or, are you afraid he already found someone and you don't have a chance anymore~"

"N-No, of course not! Stop bringing that up!"

Rossweisse began blushing bright red again, while Shin finally registered the question properly.

"A-A girlfriend, huh? Well, I don't have an official girlfriend yet though I do have a couple of girls that would want to, apparently. Ruling out my little liaison..." he mumbled that last part to himself, however Rossweisse and Gondul still heard it. And both had different reactions.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You've had a-a what?! B-B-But you're still too young to be having a s-s-s-sexual liaison!"

"Ohoho, so you've already done the deed eh? Geez, and here my young granddaughter is still a virgin! Oh well, it's still fine. That means Shin will know how to handle you when you two are finally going to take that step~"

At that, both Shin and Rossweisse blushed.

"G-GRANDMOTHER!" Rossweisse yelled absolutely embarrassed, before burring her burning face in her knees, away from public view.

"I-I see you still have your granddaughter's best interests in mind, Gondul-san..." Shin said that as ironically as he could, which prompted the elder woman to burst out laughing once more.

* * *

 **RUMBLE RUMBLE**

[-!]

However before anything else could happen, a loud rumbling resounded from the ocean, as the island itself shook quite violently.

"W-What the hell is happening?!"

"Are we being attacked?!"

"I-I dunno, I can't sense anyone else on the island other than us and the staff!"

The young Valkyries began to panic, dropping whatever they had in their hands and looking around in order to try and spot the potential enemy.

"To think someone would attack at such a time…!" Gondul wasn't exactly pleased with the situation, and her scowl showed it perfectly.

Shin and Rossweisse were also already on their toes, ready for a fight.

 **RUMBLE RUMBLE** ***-crash***

The island shook and rumbled once more, and now waves from the ocean began crashing on the beach.

[-!]

Seeing that, Shin and Gondul now knew where the threat was coming from. That's why nobody sensed anything on the island.

Because the enemy was coming from the sea.

And right on cue, something started rising from the ocean, the form growing bigger and bigger with every second, until it ended up towering over all of them.

And soon, the deep-sea monster was revealed, shocking the Valkyries present. It was humongous in size, with a serpentine body and long tendrils protruding from the area just under it's head.

It's head had four pincer-like protrusions and in it's mouth were rows of sharp teeth. It also had four eyes and a horn on top of it's head.

[M-Midgardsormr?!]

 **-GYYAAOOHHH!**

[Iyaah?!]

The monster released a loud roar, which forced some of the younger folk to shield their ears due to the volume. Even Gondul and Shin had to cover at least one ear, to mute some of the sound.

However, that roar told Shin something.

"Gh...That's not Midgardsormr. That's not even a dragon! It's a sea serpent!" the boy yelled out through the loud roar, causing Rossweisse to turn to him, still covering her ears.

"B-But that's what Midgardsormr is, Shin-kun!"

"No! That...can't be Midgardsormr! He's a Dragon King, and they have a special aura! It may look like him, but Midgardsormr is still asleep, trust me!"

"Then what the hell is that thing?!"

Following the question, the sea serpent finally stopped roaring, and now focused all of it's attention on the people on the beach, growling loudly.

" **That** is what one of the Maou's is named after!" Shin finally revealed what the creature before them was, causing everyone's eyes to widen.

[-!]

"S-So you mean...that thing is the Leviathan?!" one of the girls exclaimed.

Shin however, cringed lightly.

"That's not **the** Leviathan. It's **a** Leviathan."

"So, there are more out there?" Gondul asked, receiving a nod from Shin.

"They are scattered across the world, sealed within the deepest parts of the oceans. So how is one of them here?!"

"-! Watch out!"

 **DOONN!**

Instead of an answer, Shin had to dodge a water blast from the Leviathan, which pretty much eradicated the spot the boy was previously on.

Seeing the damage, Gondul quickly deduced what the attack was made of, and announced it.

"That was a compressed water blast. And if I'm not wrong, then it's also imbued with some form of acid! Do not let it even scrape you!"

As she said that, the sea serpent reared it's head back once more, however this time it tilted it to the side, which alerted everyone of an incoming wide water slash.

 **DOON!**

Which as expected, cut a fairly large line across the length of the beach.

With everyone having managed to jump back in time, it was around this time that it became clear they all should probably start attacking the damn thing.

[Take this!]

 ***-glow***

 **-BOOMM!**

A few of the Valkyries flew up in the air and summoned a number of Norse magic circles, which began raining down powerful energy blasts at the monster at the same time.

As Valkyries are technically Demigods, the shockwave from the impact was astounding, and actually made Shin take a step back so as to not fly away.

The assault only lasted a few moments, but from the amount of smoke that was rising, it seemed to have dealt more than enough damage.

 ***-grroowwwll***

[-!]

However, as the smoke cleared, the Leviathan was still standing with no scratch to be seen anywhere on it's body.

"W-What?! That didn't do anything?!" one of the Valkyrie's exclaimed, shocked at what had happened.

But that wasn't the worst of their problems, as the Leviathan proved much faster than it's huge size suggested, and lunged at the women with incredible speed, opening it's giant mouth to swallow them whole.

"No!"

 **-glow**

 ***-crash!***

Fortunately, Rossweisse managed to act quickly, erecting a few protective barriers in front of her classmates.

However, it was barely enough to stop the monster, as it managed to break through with only enough delay for the Valkyries to move out of the way and escape.

Back on the ground, Shin was holding in order to analyze the situation. There was no point in going up against something they weren't familiar with.

' _Think Shin...The Leviathan's didn't have too many weaknesses, but that attack should've at least done **some** form of damage...'_

But while Shin was thinking, Gondul turned to her granddaughter.

"Rose!"

"Got it!"

With a sharp nod, the two flew up in the air while the Leviathan was distracted by the others, and raised their hands in unison.

 ***-GLOW!***

On cue, countless magic circles bearing Norse symbols appeared in the sky, layer on top of layer, all of them surrounding the serpent. And when it finally realized that as well, it was already too late.

[Have this!] Gondul and Rossweisse brought their hands down, as a myriad of spells and energy blasts, each more powerful and explosive than the other, engulfed the sea creature.

And unlike the before, this assault of spells didn't last a few moments. No, this kept going for a solid five minutes, blasts going off without any sign of stopping.

But after those five minutes were over, Rossweisse and Gondul came back on the ground, the young silverette panting slightly, while Gondul watched the smoke carefully.

' _Rose my think that was a little too much, but if that thing survived that first blast without a scratch, then we can't hold back in the slightest. I'm in charge of keeping all of you safe, and I will not take any chances.'_

"D-Did we...get it?" Rossweisse said between breaths, regaining her posture fairly quick.

It was silent, as everyone awaited anxiously for the smoke to clear and see if this attack proved more effective than the last.

 **-GYYAAOUUUU!**

[-!]

"I-Impossible!"

Everyone, even Gondul was shocked when the creature roared again, blowing away all smoke to reveal it's body was still in perfect condition.

Seeing the situation didn't change one bit, the Valkyries took a step back, trying desperately to think of a solution to kill the monster before them.

Fortunately, Shin had finally figured it out.

"Of course...It's immune to Norse Magic!" the boy exclaimed, as he finally connected the dots.

Hearing this, Gondul and Rossweisse turned to the ravenette, who already had his black flame burning in his hand, which surprised the two.

"Are those-"

"-divine flames?!" Gondul started, only for Rossweisse to finish.

Shin turned to them with a smirk.

"I did say I've taken residence in Japan didn't I? And while yes, these flames are based on the same principle as Amaterasu's Holy Fire, this one is a tad different!"

 ***-flare!***

 **DONN!**

Finishing his sentence, Shin waved his hand and sent a large wave of flames darting toward the Leviathan in an irregular pattern, making impossible for the creature to know which whey they would inevitably attack from.

And it proved successful, as the flames swiftly moved around the serpent's body and ended up landing against one of it's outer appendages situated under it's head.

 **-GYAAOOUU!**

The Leviathan screeched in pain, waving it's body around to reveal in appendage mostly gone while whatever remained what either still burning of was left severely burned.

"It worked!" Rossweisse exclaimed happily, seeing the creature was finally damaged.

However, it wasn't dead. Which for Shin, meant that he was now facing an extremely pissed off deep-sea creature, with a fairly high level of power. It was during moments like these, that Shin would usually end up receiving a new scar or two.

 **-GYAAHH!**

And that seemed to be the case here, as the Leviathan rared it's head back, and launched an extremely powerful water blast directly at Shin, forcing the teen to quickly raise a barrier to protect himself.

 **-DOONN**

"Gh-!"

"Shin-kun, look out!"

As with the Rossweisse before, the barrier only managed to stop the attack for a few brief seconds, before it smashed through and obliterated the spot Shin was previously standing on.

Fortunately, Rossweisse managed to tackle the teen before the barrier was destroyed, sending them both flying out of the attacks path.

But they didn't have time to breathe, as the serpent reared it's head once more for an attack.

"Rossweisse, I need you and the other Valkyries to make some steps for me when I give you the signal!"

"What for?!"

"Just do as I say- Dodge!"

 **-DOON!**

Shin didn't even get to finish his sentence, before he had to push Rossweisse and himself away from each other, in order to avoid the Leviathan's attack.

Quickly raising his body, Shin turned to Rossweisse and by extension the other Valkyries.

"Get ready!" he called out, before beginning to move toward the ocean.

"W-What are you doing Shin-kun?!"

"Just wait for my mark!"

Rossweisse didn't understand what Shin's plan was and became understandably worried, however Shin just reminded her to wait for his signal. So shaking her head, she turned to her fellow classmates and her grandmother.

"Everyone! Get ready to create some steps for Shin-kun to jump on!"

[O-Okay!] the other Valkyries nodded their heads, awaiting the signal.

As of this moment, there was no reason to doubt Shin's word. After all, their native magic was ineffective against the Leviathan and only Shin's flames proved to do quite a bit of damage.

Speaking of the boy, he was now running toward the giant serpent, using his ice to create a walking path on top of the ocean.

Seeing him approach, the Leviathan launched another water blast at the teen.

However, this was what he wanted.

 ***-flare!***

Igniting his flames, Shin reared his arm back preparing to counter the Leviathan's attack.

"Here we go! **Forbidden Fire Art! Heaven's Black Piercing Fang!** "

With his flames flaring violently around him, creating the same dragon shape around him like during Shin's battle with Sairaorg, the teen reared his arm back, before punching forward and sending and concentrated wave of flames toward the Leviathan's own water attack.

 **DOOSSHH!**

The two attacks collided, sending a shockwave rippling through the surrounding area, affecting even the Valkyries back on the beach. It also began releasing massive amounts of steam, due to the colliding hot and cold temperatures.

' _Kh-! D-Dammit...I didn't expect a compressed water jet to be this strong! That sand...must be special, because it made this thing seem much weaker than it is!'_

Shin's ice was beginning to crack under his feet, due to the sheer force of the Leviathan's water attack.

As it stood, the two attacks were locked in place. However, Shin was at a clear disadvantage due to his ice not being able to withstand the force for much longer. He needed to think of something, fast.

"Grr...Hraah!"

Focusing on one central spot, Shin's flames intensified and began pushing back against the water stream, ultimately managing to break through and fly right at the Leviathan's face, burning off a majority of it's left side.

 **GYYAAOOUAA!**

The serpent reared back, screeching in pain.

Shin then turned to the beach.

"Rossweisse! Now!"

"Alright! Everyone!"

 ***-glow***

Wasting no time, the Valkyries created a number of magic circles in the air, for Shin to use as footing to climb to the Leviathan's height.

And Shin wasted no second either, jumping off his crumbling ice and unto the first magic circle, before hopping to the second and third and kept hopping until he reached the final circle, right in front of the Leviathan's head, which from so close, was truly gigantic.

"Time to finish this!"

 ***-flare!***

Once again, Shin's body became surrounded by flames, which now seemed to form a pair of hings on his back.

He then put all his strength in his legs, and launched himself off the magic circle, shattering it in the process.

Then, while still airborne, the boy seemingly 'flapped' his flame wings to give him just a little more of a boost, so he was now right above the Leviathan, who was still recoiling from Shin's previous attack.

"Return to the bottom of the ocean you giant shoelace!"

Shin's wings then disappeared, as the boy reared his arm once more, smoky blue and black flames flaring up behind him this time.

 ***-woosshhh***

[-!]

And to the amazement of everyone watching, the sky itself turned dark for a moment, with a crescent moon shining just above Shin.

But the reason for the amazement, was that the sky turned into night while the sun was still setting on the horizon.

" **Burn, Blaze of Antares! EXTINGUISHED CRESCENT MOON!** "

 **DWWOOONNN!**

With a mighty cry, Shin fell down unto the Leviathan like a comet, his flames flaring so strongly that they actually covered up the crescent moon shining behind the boy.

He then smashed his fist against the top of the monster's head, releasing an extremely powerful shockwave, coupled with his flames erupting all over the Leviathan's body.

The beast then released a final roar, before Shin's flames began bursting through it's body, burning it up from within and turning it into nothing more than a charred husk not long after.

The Leviathan then began sinking back into the ocean, it's corpse returning to the depths from which it once came.

[He did it!] The Valkyries celebrated the Leviathan's defeat.

However, Rossweisse and her grandmother knew there was still one more matter to take care of.

The fact that Shin was now falling at high speeds toward the ocean, seemingly having passed out from his own attack.

"Shin-kun!"

But fortunately, Rossweisse was once again fast enough to save Shin from a very bad crash against the ocean's water which, in his unconscious state, we would've most likely drowned in.

After the silverette brought him back to the shore, Gondul decided to head into the resort to get the boy somewhere where they could tend to him until he woke up.

* * *

But from much further away, three hooded figures had watched the entire battle against the Leviathan unfold.

"An unexpected turn of events." one of the figures spoke, their voice revealing them to be a young male.

"Indeed. We only prepared for the Valkyries to be the only supernatural beings on the island. It's why we made sure to give the Leviathan immunity to Norse spells before we awakened it. It looks like that boy threw a wrench in our plans." another figure spoke, also revealed as male by his voice.

"No. This is good."

[..?] hearing the third figure, also a male, speak up, the other two turned to him.

"What do you mean?" the first one asked, hearing a slight chuckle from the third.

"That's no ordinary boy. I can feel he's human, but there's a vast amount of power lying dormant within him."

"-! Do you mean, that attack was the boy's own power?"

"Maybe. I do not know for certain. But what I do know, is that he would be a perfect addition to our Faction." the third figure showed a smirk under his hood.

"Do you really think he'll be willing to join us? Especially after what just happened?" the second figure showed his doubts to the plan.

However, it didn't seem to bother the third one in the least, evident by his answer.

"I doesn't matter whether he wants to or not. That boy, is exactly what we need for our cause. To show the supernatural that us humans don't need their power for protection. And look."

 ***-shiing***

[-!]

The third figure brought out what seemed to be a golden spear from under his cloak, the tip of which was emanating a soft glow, which surprised the other two.

"The spear- rather, the Will of God inside the spear is reacting to that boy. There's definitely something special about him."

"So what do you plan to do? Are we going to just go over there right now to recruit him?"

"No, of course not. For now, we'll return to HQ. But we'll keep an eye on the boy. Now let's go."

And with that, the figures disappeared from the spot in a cloud of dark mist.

* * *

 **That's a wrap!**

 **A few things happened this chapter. Asia was officially welcomed into the ORC, Shin decided he needed a vacation, to which Jeanne almost threw a fit for not being invited outright, and most importantly, the biggest piece of Shin's history was revealed this chapter~**

 **But that's all you gonna get for a while to come! No more hints up until the Excalibur Arc!**

 **And with this chapter, Rossweisse joined the story!**

 **She'll appear in the next chapter as well, but that will be it until her official appearance in the Light Novel.**

 **During the harem poll, she was among the three most voted characters for Shin's harem, along with Grayfia and Tiamat.**

 **Now, Grayfia and Rossweisse have made their official appearances in this story, which means that Tiamat is the final one!**

 **And you needn't worry, she'll make her official debut in two chapters. So not the next one, the one after that!**

 **But yeah, returning to this chapter, we also had a fight!**

 **I was originally planning on using the 'Behemoth' that appeared in the Bible, but since Shin and Co were on the beach, I decided to use it friend, the actual Leviathan!**

 **Some of you may have thought it's description reminded you of something, well that something was the Reaper Leviathan from Subnautica. That's the image I described, since I didn't have the time to come up with an all original design.**

 **And we also got a little mysterious cameo at the very end!**

 **Who were those guys I wonder? But it's obvious~**

 **They'll be making a return in the future, so look forward to that!**

 **Now, unto the harems:**

 **Shin's Harem: Serafall, Yasaka, Jeanne, Akeno, Kuroka, Gabriel, Tiamat, Grayfia, Roygun, Rossweisse, Koneko, Irina, Ophis, Kunou, Ravel, WIP.**

 **Issei's Harem. Rias, Asia, Xenovia, LeFay, Sona, WIP.**

 **Yeah, that's what it currently looks like.**

 **Now, unto the funny post chapter bit!**

 **BEHIND THE SCENES! -though it may be shorter than the last ones because I'm tired~ Also, since she's one of my favourite characters, Rossweisse will be Shin's girlfriends off camera. Fight me.**

* * *

 **SHIN P.O.V**

 ***-click***

"Alright everyone, we're back!"

I turn the camera on, and pointed it at myself and the rest of the guys, who looked up and gave a slight smile.

We've finished filming the next episode, and were now all chilling in the Rec Room.

However, what the other don't know, is that I've been plotting my revenge ever since the last segment.

You probably know what I mean.

Those guys made me cry on camera with their teasing, so I'm going to get them back!

And I've gotten the perfect prank set up.

"Hey Rose-chan, Grayfia-san, Crom can you guys help me with something? The director asked me to help move some of the props to another trailer, but since I'm filming the segment, I only have a single hand available to do stuff."

"Hmm? Oh sure Shin-kun."

"No problem man."

"I'm always ready to help, Shin-kun."

The three I called stand up from the places they were chilling at and followed me outside.

Huehuehue, these three are the one going to help me with my revenge! Mwahaha- *cough* *cough*...I'm sick, by the way.

Ended up getting sick after shooting the Leviathan fighting scene, since the water was cold and I had wind blowing in my face the entire time. Hopefully it stays just a cold and nothing serious like pneumonia.

But anyway, returning to the matter at hand. Crom turns to me and asks.

"Everything set?"

"Yup! I already spoke with the special effects guy, and got a few of the props set up for the prank."

"Alright, but what exactly does this prank entail Shin-kun. You've failed to filled me in."

Ah yes. I just realized I indeed forgot to tell Rose-chan about my plan. What a silly boyfriend I am.

Oh yeah, Rose-chan and I are actually a couple behind the camera. Then again, she's written to be part of my harem during the story too, so I guess it's only a matter of time before she becomes my on-screen girlfriend too.

But anyway, the prank.

"Okay, so you know how the other we all had the horror movie night? Remember what movie scared everyone the most?"

After I say that, Rose-chan seems to think for a bit, before her eyes open in realization.

"The Ring!"

"Exactly!"

There we go Rose-chan! You should probably get the gist of it already.

"So you want to make Samarra pop up in the rec room, and scare everyone? You can definitely count me in. What do you need me to do?"

I give her a wink and respond.

"That's my girl~ You're going to play 'Samarra'."

I then gesture toward Crom, who was leaning against the wall.

"Crom is going to play with the special effects from the other room. I had the effects guy connect those special effects to the Rec Room. He'll basically be playing with the lights, and will turn on the TV you'll crawl out from."

The three of us then move into the room right next to the Rec room.

This room is pretty barren, since it's only used for equipment and such, but that's why it's the perfect base of operations!

Now, I gesture toward Grayfia-san.

"Now Grayfia-san is going to be the voice of Samarra. I got a few speakers installed and hidden in different corners of the Rec room. Before you pop up, she'll make some creepy noises, since she's a great voice actor and can change the pitch of her voice."

Then and I rest my eyes on Rose-chan, producing a white night gown and a black wig from behind me and hand it to her.

"Rose-chan, since you'll be playing Samarra, you're going to need those."

Then, I bring Rose-chan to the spot the prank will start from.

On the wall, you can see a slim plank. It's painted so it looks like the interior of the wall to the Rec room, but it can be slid out from this room.

Under that, there's a little cubby hole, where Rose-chan is going to hide while we slide the plank out and place the old TV in the corner in front of it.

"Rose-chan, once you're dressed, get into that cubby hole and wait for me to give you the signal. Once the lights are out in the Rec room, I'll put the TV in front of the hole to the other room and slide that plank out. When the TV turns on, it will play the well scene. That's when you will crawl out of the cubby hole and into their room, to give them the scare of their lives!"

"Mhm! Okay, I got it Shin-kun! Count on me!"

That's the response I wanted to hear Rose-chan!

"Alright then! Crom, get the controls!"

"Already on it dude!"

Crom calls over from the control panel! Damn, the guy is fast. And silent! I guess that's why he fits his character so well.

Anyway, once I see Crom is ready, I turn to Grayfia-san and give her a small mic.

"Grayfia-san, when I give you the signal."

"Count on me Shin-kun."

Once I see Grayfia-san also give me the good to go, I turn to Rose-chan, who's now in Samarra's outfit. Damn, she's also really fast!

"Damn Rose-chan, you got ready fast! But, your hair needs a little adjusting."

The only adjustments I make is to hair, which I mess up a bit and put it so it covers her face.

Now it looks perfect!

I give Rose-chan a thumbs up which she returns, before getting into the cubby hole.

Alright, everything is set!

But before I give the all clear, I quickly sneak out to lock the door to the rec room.

Don't think I'll let you all escape! Y'all will first piss yourselves from fear!

When I'm back, I give Crom the good to go, and the plan is set in motion.

 ***-click***

" _H-Huh? The light went.."_

" _A power outage maybe?"_

I hear Rias and Akeno-chan's voices.

I quickly turn my camera to night vision and put the lens against another hole I found in the wall. That way, they can't see our room, but I can record what happens in their room.

From the looks of it, they're all surprised, but no one seems particularly afraid yet.

Rias, Akeno-chan and Asia are sitting in the corner on one of the couches, while Issei, Jeanne, Koneko-chan and Yuuto are sitting on the bean bags in the room.

Hehe, all of them are facing directly toward us!

Letting go of the camera for a moment, I grab the TV and put it against the wooden plan covering the whole in the wall. Then, I turn to Grayfia-san, who clears her throat a bit, before releasing a low wheezing sound, almost like a pained moan, into the microphone.

I gotta admit, that really sounds creepy as hell.

" _W-What the hell is that? Guys, tell me you're hearing that shit too!"_

Issei's the first one to show fear in his voice. Yes!

After him, Rias, Asia and Jeanne also show their concerns.

" _T-This is really creepy...where the hell is it coming from?"_

" _It sounds like its coming from...everywhere. B-But how?"_

" _Guys, I don't like this...Why are we still hanging around here? Let's move!"_

Jeanne get's up and heads toward the door.

 ***-rattle* *rattle***

" _H-Huh?!"_

That's right, the door's locked! You ain't getting out!

" _Guys, t-the door's locked!"_

" _What do you mean the door's locked?!"_

Yuuto get's up and goes to the door as well, trying to force it open. Too bad, these door are reinforced, so you're not breaking it down and they're also soundproof, so no one gonna hear your screams either!

By the way, Grayfia-san hadn't stopped doing her wheezing sound. She's been doing it this whole time, which is amazing.

I then glance back at her, and she nods her head, proceeding to turn her wheezing into a much lower, guttural pitch, sounds almost like a growl now.

When I look back in the room, everyone's really starting to look worried now! Hehe!

It's time to start the final phase of the plan.

I look down into Rose-chan's cubby hole, giving her a nod of my head to let her know it's her turn.

Then I turn the TV on right during the infamous well scene, and quickly swipe the wooden plank away from it's place, flooding the Rec room with the light from the TV.

Quickly switching my camera's night vision off, I look through the lens to see the terrified faces of my crew mates.

" _N-No no no no! T-That's the cursed video isn't it?!"_

It's a good thing Issei is so easy to scare. The other's are obviously terrified as well, but seems to be taking it much better than the brunette.

Akeno-san is the bravest though, and begins to walk forward.

" _C-Come on guys, it's probably just a prank. Very funny!"_

She obviously said that last part thinking us, the pranksters, would hear her. Well we did, but it ain't gonna change anything.

" _Look, nothing is gonna pop out of the TV. That's just a movie and this is just a prank, probably by Shin-kun or something."_

Damn, this girl is sharp! But let's see how much of a prank you think this is in a second!

I see Akeno-san was now in front of the hole, but still far enough to not notice Rose-chan's cubby hole. She then reaches her hand out toward the screen. Yes!

 ***-grab!***

" _I-IYAAAHHH!"_

As soon as Akeno-san got within reach, Rose-chan reached out and grabbed her hand, causing her to shriek in absolute terror and scurry back toward the other, who were now going pale in the face.

"..."

Releasing her own wheezing sound to add to Grayfia-san, Rose-chan slowly began to crawl out of the cubby hole and into the rec room, making her body twitch every now and again. Damn, she's really into character.

" _A-Ah, it's her! It's the girl from the movie! LET ME OUTTA HEREE!"_

Issei is now clawing at the door, desperately trying to get it open. Yes, this is my revenge!

As Rose-chan nears the guys, they become more and more frantic in trying to get away.

" _N-NOO! I DON'T WANT TO DIEE!"_

H-Holy crap, some of them have even begun to cry. Damn and Rose-chan doesn't stop. She just keeps slowly trudging toward them all.

 ***-thud* *-thud***

A-Ah! Koneko just fainted! A-And Asia followed right after.

Now all of them are crying! Shit, I don't want them to be scarred forever!

I quickly turn to Grayfia-san and gesture for her to stop, before glancing at Crom and motioning for her to turn the lights back on.

Then, I hurry outside and to the door to the rec room.

Unlocking it as the same time Crom turns the lights back on, I go inside to the see everyone curled up on the floor, sobbing to themselves.

"G-Guys, calm down it was just a prank! You're not gonna die!"

[-?]

Hearing my voice, the one who didn't faint before stop crying and look up at me. To say I look sheepish right now, would be an understatement.

"W-Wait, this was all just a p-prank?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm sorry about scaring you like that Issei. I didn't mean for it to go this far..."

"YOU PIECE OF CRAP! YOU'RE LUCKY YOU DIDN'T GIVE ANY OF US A HEART ATTACK!"

 **-grab!**

A-Ah! Issei grabbed me by the collar and began yelling in my face!

Thankfully, Crom steps in and manages to pull him off of me, while I try to defend myself from behind Grayfia-san.

"L-Look I only wanted to scare you guys! I didn't know you were so affected by that stupid movie!"

"Y-You know, as much as I want to yell at you right now, I guess we did kind of have it coming for making you cry the last time.."

Rias says that while shakily getting up from the floor and wiping her eyes.

Yes, thank you Rias!

Then, I also hear Akeno-san's voice from the ground.

"Alright you pranked us, now we're even...N-Now, who's...that?"

She points at Rose-chan, who was just been standing there the entire time, not saying a word. Weird…

The prank is over Rose-chan. You can break character now.

"Oh, that's Rose-chan. It's why I brought her out along with Grayfia-san and Crom. They helped me with the prank.

"Did I hear my name just now?"

[-!?]

Hearing a familiar voice, we all turn to the door, where Rose-chan is standing, adjusting her black wig.

W-Wait a second…

"R-R-Rose-chan?!"

"Yeah, that's me. Sorry I had some trouble with the wig, I couldn't get it to sit still. Hey, what's going on? Did you start the prank without me?!"

...What…?

I stutter a response.

"N-N-No...we didn't..."

At this point, I don't even need to look, to see that **everyone** had gone pale in the face. Even Crom, who wasn't scared in the least while watching the movie.

And then, I say the thing we all didn't want to hear.

"B-But wait...Rose-chan, if you're here...then who is..."

We all slowly turn out heads toward the short, black haired girl standing in the middle of the room wearing a muddy night gown.

"..."

She doesn't say anything.

 ***-tap***

Instead, she takes a step forward! That's enough to send us all over the edge!

[KYYAAAAHHHHH!]

 **? P.O.V**

Screaming at the top of their lungs, everyone rushes out of the room.

Huh. They didn't even bother grabbing the two passed out girls with them.

"-aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa-"

...Okay.

Nevermind, Shin-kun just ran back, still screaming mind you, and grabbed both of the girls that were passed out on the floor and skedaddled.

But when I look on the floor, I see he dropped his camera. That's not good. Camera's are really expensive you know?

I walk over and pick up the piece of equipment, checking to see if it's still working.

And once I confirm the camera's just fine, I point it at myself and slick my hair back out of my face.

"Hehe~ That's all for today's special 'Behind the Scenes'~ Make sure you tune in to the next episode for a special Christmas Edition~ For now, I guess I'll just use my own name for the outro. Ophis-chan, out~"

* * *

 **-End of transmission-**

 ***-click***


End file.
